Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman on Sunday said the upcoming election is meant to bring liberation to hardworking common people, not benefit opportunists.

In a Facebook post, he said politics in Bangladesh has become a breeding ground for corruption and illegal privileges, adding that political leadership now appears to be treated as a family inheritance.

“This country is not anyone’s private estate. We do not believe that a king’s son must automatically become king,” he said.

The Jamaat chief mentioned that anyone with merit and qualifications should be able to lead the nation in the future, Insha’Allah.

Dr Rahman said Jamaat has pledged that its Members of Parliament will not accept state-allocated plots, use luxurious government vehicles, or enjoy any special privileges. He also said the assets of MPs’ family members will be disclosed before the public.

“Our goal is not to take a licence to plunder, but to carry out state responsibilities as a sacred trust,” Shafiqur Rahman said, adding that Jamaat will neither engage in corruption, extortion, nor provide political shelter to criminals, nor allow such practices.

He said they want to build a Bangladesh where mothers will not worry about the safety of their daughters, where the voices of youths will not be suppressed, and where justice will not be sold for money.

“By using the talent and merit of all, we aim to build a modern Bangladesh for the future,” Shafiqur Rahman said.