Md. Palash Pathan Tushar, Staff Reporter || Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Leader of the Opposition Dr Shafiqur Rahman has criticised India for providing former prime minister Sheikh Hasina with an opportunity to speak publicly, questioning New Delhi’s claim of being Bangladesh’s “biggest friend.”“If the neighbouring country claims to be our biggest friend, why have you given Bangladesh’s biggest killer shelter? Not only did you give her shelter, you also allowed her to make statements disregarding diplomatic norms and the mutual relations between the two countries,” he said.Dr Shafiqur made the remarks on Sunday afternoon while addressing a programme titled “July Mass Uprising – Justice, Merit Evaluation and the Future of Bangladesh”, organised to mark “36 July”, at Shaheed Abu Sayeed Convention Centre in Eskaton, Dhaka.“We condemn this. You will act like an enemy but boast that you are a friend. The people of Bangladesh are not so foolish,” he said.‘We do not want to see another fascist’Referring to the Awami League leaders who fled the country following the July uprising, the Jamaat chief said those who had left the country were now “peeping in” and occasionally making statements suggesting they would return.He questioned why Sheikh Hasina left the country if she was so confident about her position.Dr Shafiqur also mocked Hasina’s remarks about her intended destination after leaving Bangladesh, saying she had suggested that she wanted to go to Gopalganj but ended up elsewhere.He claimed that several phone calls were made to a neighbouring country over three days seeking shelter.“Was she calling India to go to Gopalganj? The nation no longer wants to see or hear such mockery,” he said.On the July 2024 uprising, Dr Shafiqur said fascism had been removed from power, but warned that fascism should not return in another form.“Fascism is a virus. It is not a person. It sits on a person and turns whoever it finds into a fascist,” he said.He added that anyone repeating the same actions for which the previous government had been labelled fascist would also have to be described as fascist.“If we call someone else’s son a terrorist for doing something wrong, we must call our own son a terrorist if he does the same thing,” he said.Calls for merit-based governanceDr Shafiqur said the July movement had sought to remove discrimination and divisions and build a united nation.Citing United Nations figures, he said more than 1,400 people were killed during the movement. Students, ordinary citizens, workers and religious scholars took part, while he claimed 600 to 700 of those killed were ordinary workers.He questioned the government’s commitment to building a merit-based society, saying competent, honest and patriotic officials were allegedly being sidelined through transfers and other administrative measures.“We have raised this issue in parliament, but we have not seen any change,” he said.He warned those currently in power against repeating the behaviour of the previous regime.“We were all oppressed before. Why are the oppressed now becoming oppressors? When the oppressed become oppressors, their fate becomes even worse than that of the previous oppressors,” he said.Dr Shafiqur also urged political leaders not to become arrogant with power, noting that political circumstances could change at any time.11 individuals, organisations honouredAt the programme, speakers stressed the need to uphold justice and establish a merit-based state to honour those who died during the July uprising.NDF President Prof Dr Md Nazrul Islam said the courage shown by doctors and healthcare workers during the July movement was exemplary. He said the NDF remained committed to building a just, merit-based and humane Bangladesh.The event was moderated by NDF Secretary General Prof Dr Mahmud Hossain.Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar and Dhaka South City Jamaat Ameer Md Nurul Islam Bulbul, among others, addressed the programme.Doctors, students, families of those killed and injured during the uprising, researchers, journalists and cultural figures attended the event.Eleven individuals and organisations were also honoured for outstanding contributions to healthcare, nursing, medical technology, health journalism, blood services, humanitarian assistance and institutional healthcare.