Prothom Alo
Leaders of Hefazat-e-Islam have raised objections about use of the term ‘fundamentalism’ in recent remarks by BNP leaders. They requested BNP leaders to remain cautious about using this word.
Sources said the Hefazat leaders made the request while holding a meeting with the BNP leaders at the party’s Gulshan office last night.
The meeting started at around 8:00pm yesterday and continued for around one and half hours. It has been learnt that the meeting was held due to interest shown by Hefazat-e-Islam.
An eight-member delegation led by Hefazat Secretary General Maulana Sajedur Rahman participated in the meeting. Other participants were Nayeb-e-Amir Ahmad Abdul Quader, Maulana Muhiuddin Rabbani and Maulana Bahauddin Zakaria, Senior Joint Secretary General Maulana Junaid Al Habib, Maulana Azizul Haque Islamabadi and Maulana Jalaluddin Ahmad, and Finance Secretary Maulana Munir Hussain Qasemi.
Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed were on the BNP side.
According to the meeting source, the leaders of Hefazat-e-Islam exchanged views with the BNP leaders on some recent issues, including past lawsuits against the organisation’s leaders and activists and constitutional reforms.
The source said Hefazat leaders told the BNP leaders that they did not expect the recent remarks of the party leaders about ‘rise of fundamentalism’. They said BNP can speak out against extremism, to which they won’t object.
At that time, BNP replied that they meant Jamaat-e-Islami. The Hefazat leaders said not only Jamaat, but all other Islamists are also being attacked by this word.
Ahmad Abdul Quader told Prothom Alo that the BNP leaders assured them to remain cautious in future about using the word.
It has been learnt that in the meeting, the BNP leaders sought Hefazat-e-Islam’s support in the national elections in December. Hefazat leaders agreed with this. However, they emphasised completing reforms before the elections, withdrawing all false cases filed against the organisation’s leaders and activists, and putting the Awami League on trial for genocide.
According to the relevant sources, they requested that ‘pluralism’ be removed from the basic principles of the constitution and the words ‘full trust and faith in Allah’ be added to the BNP proposal. In addition, they requested the BNP to raise its voice so that the Awami League is tried as a party for genocide and crimes against humanity, and that its registration as a political party be canceled.
A Hefazat-e-Islam leader who participated in the meeting told Prothom Alo on condition of anonymity that BNP agreed with their demands. However, the party will not speak publicly on the issue for strategic reasons.
Maulana Sajedur Rahman told Prothom Alo after the meeting, “Our view exchange meeting was mainly on false cases filed against us. In the past our people were killed but we were the one whom they (previous government) incarcerated by filing false cases. Also, the cases filed by us have no visible progress. We sought BNP’s help about this issue.”
BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed briefed the journalists after the meeting.
He said BNP strongly demands that the Chief Adviser will soon announce the roadmap of the election so that the election could be held within next December. Hefazat-e-Islami Bangladesh has agreed with this demand.
