Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General and former lawmaker Mia Golam Parwar on Friday said that votes are a sacred trust and must only be entrusted to honest and capable individuals, warning that voters also bear responsibility if corrupt people misuse power gained through their votes.

Addressing voter gatherings at different locations of Dumuria upazila under Khulna-5 constituency, Golam Parwar said handing over votes to dishonest, immoral or criminal elements amounts to betrayal of that trust.

“If a corrupt person gains power through my vote and engages in theft, corruption or injustice, then I too become a partner in that wrongdoing,” he said.

Describing voting as a source of power, he said the value of a rickshaw puller’s vote is equal to that of the president’s vote.

“One vote can determine victory or defeat. If this power is handed over to extortionists, criminals or addicts, they will use it to plunder relief funds, food grains and oppress the people,” he added.

Golam Parwar said voting for Allah-fearing, honest and principled individuals would ensure governance aimed at public welfare and voters would share in the moral reward of such good deeds.

Referring to the upcoming parliamentary election, he said Jatiya Sangsad is the country’s supreme law-making body and the 300 lawmakers elected would determine the nation’s laws and leadership, including the prime minister and president.

“If more than 150 honest, devout and righteous individuals are elected to parliament, it will be possible to establish justice-based governance at every level of the state,” he said.

He further stated that Jamaat-e-Islami, along with six Islamic parties and six other patriotic political parties, is contesting the election jointly.

Criticising past governments, he claimed that none of those who ruled the country over the last 54 years could honestly say they had delivered corruption-free and oppression-free governance.

Golam Parwar also said religious scholars had long been confined to mosques, madrasas and religious rituals, but stressed that the time had come for them to take leadership roles in state affairs.

“Those who lead prayers in mosques should also lead the state and those who lead funeral prayers should lead parliament,” he said.

Concluding his speech, he sought prayers for the nation, asking Allah to accept all national efforts as acts of worship and to protect the country from betrayal.

He urged voters not to entrust state power again to what he described as “failed forces” whose integrity and character had already been tested.

Earlier in the day, Golam Parwar addressed multiple gatherings, including a minority community meeting at Bhandarpara Union and an associate members’ conference at Maikhali, where local political, religious and community leaders were also present.