Jamaat relieves leader over remarks calling DUCSU a ‘den of drugs, prostitution’

Barguna district Jamaat-e-Islami assistant secretary Shamim Ahsan has been relieved of all party responsibilities, and his party membership (Rukon status) has been suspended.

The decision was announced in a press release signed by Maulana Mohibullah Harun, ameer of Barguna district Jamaat-e-Islami, on Monday.

Shamim Ahsan made the controversial remarks while campaigning for the Jamaat candidate in the Barguna-2 (Bamna–Patharghata–Betagi) constituency.

On Saturday, while addressing an election rally in Katakhali of Patharghata upazila in support of Jamaat candidate Sultan Ahmed, he commented on the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU).

In his speech, he said, “We have seen that after the DUCSU election, the DUCSU, which was a den of drugs, which was a brothel, Islamic Chhatra Shibir has been able to transform that. Therefore, Jamaat-e-Islami is capable of uprooting all kinds of wrongdoing, extortion, and corruption from Bangladesh.”

After the remarks spread on social media, they triggered widespread criticism and public outrage across the country.

In the press release announcing the disciplinary action, Jamaat said Shamim Ahsan had made reckless remarks about Dhaka University at a recent public meeting, which deeply hurt and angered current and former students of the university as well as people from various walks of life.

The statement said his comments damaged the image of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and went against the party’s principles and ideology.

Accordingly, following a decision of the district working committee, his party membership (Rukon) has been suspended and he has been relieved of all organisational responsibilities.

Confirming the matter, Maulana Mohibullah Harun, ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami in Barguna district, told Prothom Alo that the language used by Shamim Ahsan was inconsistent with Jamaat’s policies and ideals.

Meanwhile, Afroz, a resident of Badurtala village in Patharghata upazila, filed a written complaint with the district returning officer on Monday afternoon, accusing Shamim Ahsan of violating the election code of conduct.