Jamaat condemns Fakhrul over 'eliminate politically' remark

The Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has condemned recent alleged remarks made by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul on working to "completely eliminate [the party] politically in the future".

In a statement today (25 April), Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar said, "I strongly condemn and protest the unconstitutional, unwanted, and indecent speech delivered by the BNP secretary general, threatening to completely eliminate Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami politically.

Yesterday, the local government minister spoke at the BNP's central office in Nayapaltan, and condemned Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman's remarks that the BNP came to power through "election engineering", saying the allegation was unacceptable.

Without directly naming Jamaat in another part of his speech, Fakhrul said attempts were being made to create confusion over the BNP's activities and to divide democratic forces.

Fakhrul had said, "We must work in such a way that they can be completely eliminated politically in the future."

Mentioning this, Jamaat said Fakhrul's speech is not the language of democracy.

"By making such unwanted statements, he has spoken in the language of the fallen Awami fascists, which is not appropriate at all and is also extremely regrettable. The people of the country do not expect such statements, which lack political etiquette, from a responsible leader like him. His statement carries hints of pushing the country toward violence and provocative anarchy, just as in the past," Porwar said in the statement.

"...The BNP secretary general has spoken in the tone of one-party Awami fascism by threatening to completely eliminate the opposition party in parliament, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. His statement proves that they are conspiring to establish one-party authoritarian and fascist rule in this country again."

Porwar further said, "I hope that the BNP secretary general will refrain from such short-sighted statements and uphold the democratic environment. In the past, the Awami fascists themselves were rejected while trying to eliminate Jamaat-e-Islami politically. Similarly, if anyone or any party conspires to eliminate Jamaat-e-Islami, the people of this country will reject them in the same way.

"Therefore, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami cannot be subdued by threats of elimination or intimidation.

"I call upon BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir to speak in a systematic and democratic language instead of pushing the democratic system toward destruction by using such undemocratic and provocative language."