Jamaat must be politically eradicated: Mirza Fakhrul

ছবিঃ সংগৃহীত

News Desk: Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Secretary General of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, has strongly condemned and rejected the statement by Shafiqur Rahman, the Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, who claimed that “BNP came to power through engineering.”

Addressing Jamaat, Fakhrul said there is a need to consider whether they are trying to push the country back into another form of authoritarianism. Referring to their past, he stated that the people of the country are aware of it and have already rejected them. He added that efforts should be made to politically eliminate them in the future.

He made these remarks on Saturday (April 25) during a press conference held after a joint meeting at the party’s central office in Naya Paltan.

Fakhrul also described the Jamaat Ameer’s statement as an attempt to create division and confusion. He said that after more than a decade and a half, the country has witnessed a free and fair election that truly reflected the will of the people and has been recognized both nationally and internationally.

According to him, following the historic mass uprising of students and citizens against 18 years of “fascist rule,” a completely neutral election was held under an interim government. The election was praised by local and international observers. In that election, the BNP formed the government by securing 213 seats. He added that raising controversy over such a transparent process is not only undesirable but also contrary to sound thinking.

Fakhrul further said that the BNP not only rejects the Jamaat Ameer’s remarks but also strongly condemns them. He warned that after August 5, when the country got an opportunity to institutionalize democracy, certain groups have been trying to undermine that opportunity by spreading confusion. He urged the public to consider whether such actions are aimed at pushing the country back toward authoritarian rule.

Others present at the press conference included BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, State Minister for Youth and Sports Aminul Haque, Chief Coordinator of the Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, and General Secretary of the Jubo Dal Nurul Islam Nayan, among others.