Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman has said that the party is seeking an unconditional apology not only for its role in 1971 but also for any “mistake” it has made since the Partition of India in 1947.
Speaking to journalists in New York on Wednesday at the beginning of his week-long visit to the United States, the Jamaat chief clarified his party’s current political stance. “When ATM Azharul Islam was released from prison a few days ago, I said, ‘if anyone has been hurt or harmed by Jamaat-e-Islami since 1947, I seek unconditional forgiveness on behalf of all individuals and the organisation,” he said.
Shafiqur Rahman stated that the then Jamaat leadership should have respected the aspirations of the people of Bangladesh in 1971. “Why they didn’t do so is not for me to explain, because I wasn’t there then,” he added.
During the discussion, Dr Shafiqur Rahman was seen joining his hands in a gesture of humility, smiling before and after making his remarks.
He also said, “How can I claim that we have never made mistakes? We are human… ours is a human organisation. Out of a hundred decisions, ninety-nine might have been right, but one could have been wrong, and that one wrong decision could have hurt the nation. So, why should I hesitate to seek forgiveness for that?”
* If anyone is harmed, hurt by Jamaat since 1947, we seek unconditional forgiveness
* Why Jamaat’s the then leadership didn’t respect people’s aspirations in 1971, I can’t explain as we were not there that time
* If we get an opportunity to run the country, Bangladesh will remain Bangladesh, it won’t become Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran
* We don’t want division in the name of religion, majority and minority
* On relations with India, he says, “We can’t change neighbours. We want to respect them, but in return we expect mutual respect.”
* On relations with BNP, he says, “We are now two parties trying to reach out to people with our own programmes.”
Responding to criticism over the language of his apology, he remarked, “Some people now say, ‘this is not the right language for an apology.’ I don’t understand what else remains when I’ve already said it’s unconditional.”
On May 27, following the acquittal of party leader ATM Azharul Islam in a war crimes case, Jamaat had first issued an unconditional apology under Rahman’s leadership. At that time, however, he avoided any direct reference to the Liberation War. His latest remarks mark the first clear stance on the matter in five months.
Explaining his view, Dr Shafiqur Rahman said, “Of course Jamaat had a role in 1971. The party felt at that time that Pakistan should remain united. Even many Awami League leaders worked under the Pakistan government, received salaries, and took government rations. That was the reality then.”
He claimed that until December 14, 1971, the Pakistani flag flew over about 90 percent of Bangladesh’s territory. “Until December 15, people across the country worked under Pakistan’s administration. But by December 17, that situation changed completely,” he said.
“Now, one may ask why Jamaat did not respect the popular aspiration for independence. That’s a legitimate question. It would have been better if they had. They should have done so,” he acknowledged.
However, Dr Shafiqur Rahman said he was not the right person to answer for the decisions of that era. “Those who were leaders at that time can best explain what circumstances influenced their decisions. But the party has already apologised multiple times. Professor Ghulam Azam did, Maulana Matiur Rahman did, and I myself did,” he said.
“Once again, I’m saying openly that from 1947 to October 22, 2025 if anyone has been hurt or harmed by us, I unconditionally seek forgiveness, whether it is an individual or the entire nation,” Shafiqur Rahman declared.
He added, “We never claimed to be above mistakes. No political party should make such a claim. We are grateful to those who corrected our mistakes, and to those who were harmed, we offer our sincere apologies.”
The meeting was organised by the Coalition of Bangladeshi American Associations (COBA) and conducted by Jamaat’s US coordinator, Nakibur Rahman, at the World’s Fair Marina Party Hall in Queens, New York.
When asked about future relations with India, Shafiqur Rahman said, “If we get the opportunity to run the country, Bangladesh will remain Bangladesh, it won’t become Afghanistan, Iran, Indonesia, Lebanon, or Pakistan. We will preserve our own culture, traditions, and social harmony.”
He continued, “We no longer believe in the concept of majority and minority. We need unity. Division by religion or numbers has caused our nation to suffer for decades-we don’t want to see that again.”
On relations with India, Shafiqur Rahman stated, “A person can change their home, but not their neighbour. We want to respect our neighbour, and in return, we expect mutual respect. India is 26 times larger than Bangladesh; we want them to respect our small but sovereign land and our 118 million people. Mutual respect is our demand.”
Courtesy: Daily Observer Online
