Leader of the Opposition and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman on Tuesday accused the government of targeting opposition leaders to cover up its “failures and incompetence”.

“Instead of addressing people’s problems, the government is making the opposition its target to conceal its own failures and incompetence,” he said.

Shafiqur made the remarks while talking to journalists at his official residence on Minto Road, where party leaders welcomed former lawmaker Major (retd) Akhtaruzzaman, who joined Jamaat last year, with flowers following his release from jail.

He warned the government against suppressing dissent, saying such attempts would not deter Jamaat from continuing its struggle for people's rights. “We are not afraid of anyone’s bloodshot eyes. We fear only Allah,” he said.

The Jamaat chief urged the government not to follow an authoritarian path, warning that attempts to silence the opposition would not be accepted by the people.

He described the case against Akhtaruzzaman as “false” and alleged that the former lawmaker had been subjected to unjust treatment.

“The people will never accept fascism. They will never bow their heads to fascism again,” Shafiqur said.

Akhtaruzzaman was arrested in a case filed over allegations of creating disorder and obstructing official duties at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.

The protest reportedly followed delays in baggage delivery and a shortage of luggage-handling services and trolleys.

A former BNP lawmaker, Akhtaruzzaman joined Jamaat on December 13 last year, before the 13th parliamentary election.