Jamaat protests Power Minister’s statement on ‘Inqilab Zindabad’ slogan

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has expressed deep concern, condemnation and protest over the remarks made by Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmud Tuku on the slogan ‘Inqilab Zindabad’. The party’s Assistant Secretary General and Head of the Central Publicity and Media Department, Advocate Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair, made the protest in a statement today (February 22).
In the statement, he said, the statement made by Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmud on the slogan ‘Inqilab Zindabad’ at the discussion meeting on International Mother Language Day is not only inconsistent, but also amounts to denying the reality of history, linguistics and the aspirations of the people. I express deep concern, condemnation and protest over his remarks.
He further said that although the word ‘Inquilab’ is of Arabic origin, it has been used for many decades in the freedom movement, anti-dictatorship struggle and struggle for the establishment of people’s rights in the subcontinent. Language is not confined to any narrow boundaries; language enriches, develops and takes its own form with the use of people.
He said that the Bengali language itself has adopted words from numerous languages ​​including Tadbhava, Tatsam, Arabic, Persian, Portuguese and English and has taken its present form. Therefore, calling any word ‘anti-Bengali’ on the basis of origin is against the basic principles of linguistics. Any attempt to divide the nation by creating divisions on the issue of language is not desirable for any responsible person.
We want to clearly state that ‘Inquilab Zindabad’ is not an exclusive slogan of any particular group; it is a symbol of protest against exploitation, injustice and tyranny. When the students and the public of the country stand against injustice and injustice, presenting linguistic arguments to suppress their voices is against the democratic spirit.
The minister said, when this slogan is raised, it causes ‘bloodshed’. However, even though the deprivation of people’s rights in the country, crimes like extortion, encroachment and tender rigging, bribery and corruption, rising prices of commodities, irregularities and discrimination in the electricity and fuel sectors have reached extreme levels, these do not cause bleeding in your heart. Are these not enough to cause bleeding in your heart? In fact, they are enough to cause bleeding in the heart of the nation. But they do not reach the hearts of people like you. It is the responsibility of the government to take effective steps to alleviate the suffering of the people without blaming the expectations of the countrymen, the language of the people’s just protest.
He also said, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami believes that the Bengali language is our pride, one of the foundations of our identity. The Bengali language has a mix of multi-dimensional vocabulary and historical experience. We request all concerned to avoid trying to divide the nation on the basis of any word or slogan. At the same time, we demand the immediate withdrawal of the minister’s statement. Otherwise, the people will give a befitting reply. May Allah guide our country and nation to the path of truth and justice.