Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) standing committee member Hannan Shah on Saturday alleged that the government is using Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami as its political card instead of banning the party.
“Jamaat’s registration has been cancelled with the High Court’s order, making the party disqualified for contesting any election. I want to ask the government why you’re so worried about it (banning Jamaat),” he said.
Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader further said, “You (AL leaders) had said Jamaat would be banned in parliament’s June last budget session. The June is over, but nothing has done in this regard. It has demonstrated that they (govt) are using Jamaat as their political card.”
Zia Parishad, a pro-BNP platform, arranged the programme at the National Press Club.
Hannan Shah alleged that though the ruling party men speak much against Jamaat, they make more relationship with the Islamist party leaders than BNP ones.
He alleged the ruling party leaders are siphoning off hundreds of crore taka plundering public money in the name of development.
The BNP leader said the government is not willing to forge a national unity to tackle militancy responding to the call of Khaleda Zia thinking it will be their political defeat.
Under the current circumstance of the country, he said the government should arrange a national convention or roundtable with all parties rising above party interest to find out the effective ways to put up a strong resistance against militancy. “It’s now mandatory for the welfare of the country.”
Hannan Shah, however, said their party will take an initiative to hold a convention with the political parties if the government finally does not come forward to do so.
Source: Prothom Alo
