After being released from prison, Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azharul Islam expressed gratitude and emotion, stating, “By the grace of Allah, today I receive a flower garland from the Ameer of Jamaat instead of a noose around my neck. I pray to Allah that I may one day attain martyrdom in the cause of the Islamic movement.”
ATM Azharul was acquitted of his death sentence by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court in a war crimes case related to 1971.
Following his release from a prison hospital in Dhaka, he was welcomed at a brief reception organized on a temporary stage where he addressed the gathering.
He said, “Alhamdulillah, after nearly 14 years in prison, I am free this morning. I am now a free and independent citizen of this country.”
He first thanked Allah and then expressed appreciation to the court for what he called a just verdict. “Justice had long been absent, and the courts were used for political purposes. I hope from now on, the judiciary will function according to the people’s expectations.”
He also thanked his legal team and credited his release to what he referred to as the “revolutionary leaders of August 5,” attributing the fall of what he called a tyrannical regime to their persistent efforts.
He extended thanks to the student community and also acknowledged the role of the military.
ATM Azharul Islam alleged that several former top Jamaat leaders were victims of “judicial killings,” naming Motiur Rahman Nizami, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, Abdul Quader Mollah, and Mir Quasem Ali. He called for legal accountability for everyone involved in those executions, warning that the continuation of such practices would perpetuate a dangerous precedent.
During the event, Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman stated that ATM Azhar’s voice would soon be heard on a larger platform. He thanked Allah for preserving Azhar’s life despite years under a death sentence and declared that the return of Azhar is a divine gift to their community.
The Ameer further said that the fall of what he described as an oppressive government was achieved through the collective efforts of 180 million oppressed citizens of the country. He called for unity against conspiracies and affirmed the party’s resolve to continue forward despite challenges.
The reception was conducted by the party’s acting secretary general and attended by a wide range of leaders from Jamaat and other Islamist political organizations, as well as family members of former executed leaders.
