Past rulers disgraced nation five times through corruption: Charmonai Pir

Islami Andolan Bangladesh Ameer Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim, popularly known as Charmonai Pir, today (9 February) claimed that past rulers had disgraced the nation five times through corruption and theft.

He made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at an election rally in Sarail, Brahmanbaria, organised in support of Islami Andolan–nominated Brahmanbaria-2 candidate Neshar Ahammed An-Nasiri.

"Those who ruled the country for 54 years have disgraced the nation five times in terms of corruption and theft; they have insulted us," he said.

He said parties contesting the election in alliance with the BNP and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami had made it clear that they would not run the country in line with the Quran and Islamic principles.

"Only we have made it clear that we will govern the country according to the Quran and Islam," he said, adding that his party had initially been part of a political understanding.

According to him, five parties had first agreed to move forward together with a single ballot in favour of Islam, later joined by Jamaat and a few other parties.

"Our position had been clear from the beginning – there would be one ballot in favour of Islam," he said.

He claimed that when other parties saw people across the country preparing to vote in favour of that position, they changed their decision and chose power over Islam, deciding to run the state under the rules and laws of conventional democracy.

"Can we remain under such rules? Can we stay in such a compromise?" he said.

Charmonai Pir added that Islami Andolan Bangladesh is contesting the election in 258 constituencies nationwide with the "Hand Fan" symbol, keeping a separate ballot in favour of Islam.

Notably, Bangladesh topped the list of most corrupt nations five consecutive times from 2001 to 2005, during the tenure of a BNP-led four-party alliance government, of which Jamaat was a part.