On March 8th at 5:00 PM, the Amir of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, hosted an Iftar party at Hotel Westin in Gulshan, Dhaka, for the ambassadors, high commissioners, charge d’affaires, and diplomats of various countries residing in Bangladesh.

Present at the event were the British High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Ms. Sarah Cook, the French Ambassador Mrs. Mary Masdupi, the Chinese Ambassador Mr. Yo Wen, the Russian Ambassador Alexander Giri Goryovics Kozyin, Australian High Commissioner Ms. Susan Rely, the European Union Ambassador Michael Miller, Iranian Ambassador Mr. Mansoor Chavoshi, Turkish Ambassador Mr. Remis Sen, U.S. Political Affairs Officer James A. Stewart, Japanese Deputy Chief of Mission Takahashi Naoki, First Secretary Minami Tomo, the Pakistani High Commissioner Kamran Dhangal, South Korean Ambassador, and diplomats from Morocco, Netherlands, Switzerland, Norway, India, Bhutan, Singapore, Brunei, Denmark, Malaysia, Iraq, Vatican City, Canada, Brazil, Algeria, Kosovo, the UN Human Rights Representative, IRI, and NDP Resident Representatives, among others.

Other Jamaat-e-Islami leaders present included the party’s Nayeb-e-Amir and former MP Dr. Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, Maulana Anam Shamsul Islam, General Secretary and former MP Professor Mia Golam Parwar, Assistant General Secretary Maulana ATM Masum, Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan, Mr. Hamidur Rahman Azad, Maulana Abdul Halim, Advocate Moyazzam Hossain Helal, Advocate Ehsanul Mahbub Jobayer, Central Executi ve Committee members Mr. Saiful Alam Khan Milon, Mr. Abdur Rob, and Principal Mohammad Izzat Ullah, Secretary of Central Media and Publicity Department, Advocate Matiur Rahman Akand, the Amir of Dhaka South City, Mr. Nurul Islam Bulbul, Amir of Dhaka North City, Mr. Mohammad Selim Uddin, Central Working Committee members, including Dr. Shafiqur Islam Masud, Dr. Rezaul Karim, Maulana Afm Abdus Sattar, President of Islami Chhatra Shibir Zahidul Islam, and Secretary General Nurul Islam Saddam, among others.

Before the Iftar, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman gave a brief speech in which he congratulated the diplomats present and expressed gratitude, saying, “First and foremost, we are grateful to Almighty Allah, who has given us the opportunity to host this Iftar party after 11 years. Jamaat-e-Islami had a long-standing tradition of organizing Iftar parties in honor of our foreign friends, but since 2014, the Awami League government has not allowed us to host such events. In some instances, we had to cancel the events due to government restrictions, even after booking the venue and inviting guests.

Today, we are once again welcoming you to this prestigious Iftar gathering. At the same time, we pay our respects to the martyrs and victims of the July Revolution, whose sacrifices enabled Bangladesh to be freed from autocratic rule for the second time.

We have gathered at a time when the entire Muslim world is experiencing the sanctity of the holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan is not just a month of fasting; it is a month for self-purification, self-restraint, and self-dedication.

By fasting, we feel the pain of the poor and needy, which sows the seeds of empathy in our hearts. Fasting from dawn till dusk is not just physical discipline; it is a purification of the soul, strengthening our relationship with Allah, and helping us implement our commitment to justice.

The Holy Quran was revealed in this month, a book that is the guide for humanity, distinguishing truth from falsehood. During this month, we strive to acquire the highest virtues of patience, gratitude, and generosity. Through the Taraweeh prayers, recitation of the Quran, and charity, we cultivate a sense of responsibility within ourselves.

Establishing democracy in Bangladesh is crucial to ensure tolerance and mutual harmony among political forces. Since its inception, Jamaat-e-Islami has been committed to a democratic system. In the anti-autocracy movement of the 1990s, Jamaat played an important role. Jamaat proposed the caretaker government system to ensure free, fair, and acceptable elections, and has generated public support for this system.

However, the past 15 years under the Awami League government have seen every effort to suppress Jamaat. Five top Jamaat leaders have been sentenced to death, six leaders have been brutally killed in police custody, and thousands of members have been killed, disappeared, or permanently disabled. Despite this brutality, Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir, played an historic role in the July Revolution. After the revolution, Jamaat leaders and activists made significant contributions to maintaining law and order, ensuring the safety of religious institutions, and protecting the lives and property of the people.

To ensure that Bangladesh never loses its way again, the current interim government has initiated reform measures in various state structures. Jamaat-e-Islami welcomes these reform initiatives and has already provided various suggestions and recommendations. Specifically, we have strongly advocated for the implementation of a proportional representation (PR) electoral system in Bangladesh. We believe this system will more accurately reflect the people's opinion and prevent the resurgence of fascist rule. We have also raised the demand for including millions of expatriate Bangladeshis in the voter list. We hope the interim government will respond to this call and take necessary steps.

We believe that a fair political system is essential for sustainable peace and development. Our responsibility is to give importance to every citizen’s opinion, ensure representation from every community, and provide equal opportunities for everyone in the nation-building process. Jamaat-e-Islami firmly believes that there is no distinction between majority and minority in Bangladesh. Every citizen of this country has equal rights.

I am sincerely grateful for your presence at this Iftar party. Your participation has encouraged us. Let us further strengthen our mutual relations and work towards establishing peace, justice, and equality throughout the world.

May this holy month of Ramadan be blessed for all of us. May Allah grant you all the best reward.”