Jamaat is not org of angels; we, too, make mistakes: Dr Shafiq

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Leader of the Opposition Dr Shafiqur Rahman on Friday said Jamaat is not ‘an organisation of angels’ and acknowledged that its leaders and activists, being human, can make mistakes. However, he stressed that the party does not tolerate wrongdoing and takes organisational action whenever misconduct is proven.

Addressing the party's Rukon (member) conference in Kakrail, Dhaka, Dr Rahman said Jamaat had consistently maintained that injustice and the party “cannot coexist.”

“We have made it clear that wrongdoing and Jamaat-e-Islami cannot go together. But that does not mean we are free from mistakes. We are human beings, and we, too, may commit errors, wrongdoing or even crimes,” he said.

He urged people to point out the party's mistakes in the interest of the country and the nation, saying Jamaat is committed to learning from proven mistakes and correcting them.

Dr Rahman also warned party leaders and activists that those who enjoy public trust must uphold higher standards of responsibility and integrity.

“There will be no compromise on moral and ethical issues. Minor and correctable mistakes may provide an opportunity for self-correction, but serious misconduct or criminal offences will inevitably lead to strict organisational action,” he said, adding that the warning applied to all levels of the party.

On the country's political situation, the Jamaat chief claimed that the people had rejected the previous political system through the referendum and urged the government to respect what he described as the public mandate.

He also alleged that the government had failed to adequately rehabilitate those affected during the July mass uprising and expressed dissatisfaction over the delay in establishing the proposed July Museum.
Referring to the Constitution, Dr Rahman argued that if the referendum were declared invalid on constitutional grounds, the same argument could also raise questions about the legitimacy of the July uprising and the current government's mandate.

The remarks came during Jamaat's half-yearly Rukon conference, where party leaders discussed organisational discipline, political developments and future strategies.