Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman has called for recognising the victims of the July-August uprising as national heroes.
"People from all walks of life, including those residing abroad, participated in this uprising, contributing to the cause to the best of their abilities," he said while speaking to the press at a restaurant in East London on Tuesday (19 November).
Expressing his gratitude, he extended his prayers for the departed souls, seeking forgiveness and the highest honour of martyrdom for them.
Acknowledging the expatriates' significant contributions through remittances to their homeland, Dr Shafiqur Rahman appealed for what he termed "intelligence remittance" alongside monetary support.
He emphasised that intellectual contributions from expatriates would play a pivotal role in Bangladesh's intellectual development and help shape the nation of their dreams.
Reflecting on the rampant corruption of past governments, Dr Shafiqur Rahman lamented the underutilisation of Bangladesh's development potential.
He highlighted that projects in Bangladesh often incurred three times the cost of similar initiatives in neighbouring countries, with constant project delays and inflated expenditures.
"Such mismanagement, he asserted, led to the plundering and economic impoverishment of the nation," he added.
When asked by journalists about Jamaat's role during 1971, Dr Shafiqur Rahman stated his willingness to seek forgiveness from the nation if any mistakes were made and could be irrefutably proven.
He criticised the War Crimes Tribunal's judgment concerning Chowdhury Mueen-Uddin, pointing out that British judicial observations labelled it a "genocide of justice".
He further decried the 15 years of restrictions imposed on Jamaat, barring their access to offices, freedom of speech, and the ability to hold rallies.
Dr Shafiqur Rahman expressed his concerns about corruption and national disunity, asserting that corruption has become a source of national shame. In contrast, the UK's ability to reduce corruption has elevated its global standing.
He stressed that societal leaders must maintain integrity to foster a clean society.
Also present at the event were Barrister Abu Bakr Mollah, Jamaat-e-Islami's spokesperson for Europe, and Abu Saleh Yahya, who moderated the session.
Imam Uddin recited verses from the Quran, while artist Kamal Hossain performed patriotic songs.
Over fifty journalists from various UK-based Bangla media outlets attended the event.
