Photo: Messenger
The apparent distance between the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami has been steadily widening since the 12th National Parliamentary elections, primarily fueled by doubts and mistrust arising from various issues.
As a mark of that, it has been seen that the leaders from both the opposition parties have traded conflicting allegations – thereby exacerbating the seeming divide.
The BNP, however, harbours suspicions that Jamaat is engaging in conventional politics by maintaining ties with the current government. Conversely, Jamaat leaders think that BNP has sidelined them to appease India.
Despite such ‘discord’, both the parties continue to operate in opposition to the government – thereby aligning on issue-based programmes.
Following a recent speech by Dr Abdul Moeen Khan, a member of the BNP standing committee, discussions between the two parties have got reignited centering the issue at hand. However, both party leaders have resorted to indirect accusations, avoiding direct confrontation.
When questioned about the matter during a recent event, Dr. Moeen remarked, "The distance between BNP and Jamaat has increased."
He went on saying, "Ruling Awami League (AL) will be able to say whether the distance between BNP and Jamaat has increased or not."
Several leaders of BNP have alleged that Jamaat-e-Islami is taking political advantage by keeping close ties with the ruling Awami League, even though the anti-government movement is their visible program in the current politics.
On the other hand, Jamaat-e-Islami also thinks that BNP has deteriorated relations with Jamaat to improve relations with India. India has considerable influence in the economy, politics and social context of Bangladesh. In that case, BNP thinks that there is no alternative to developing relations with India in Bangladesh’s power politics.
BNP came to power repeatedly with the politics of opposition to India, but now they want to survive in politics by earning sympathy from India. That is why the party is keeping Jamaat away.
Additionally, Jamaat leaders were discontented with the fact that BNP leaders remained in hiding prior to the 12th National Parliamentary elections. Their suspicions heightened when a senior BNP leader organised a public procession meeting in Dhaka despite facing numerous legal cases, yet evaded arrest.
Responding to inquiries regarding whether Jamaat-e-Islami had formed any alliances with the Awami League, Maulana Azizur Rahman, a member of Jamaat's central working council, stated to The Daily Messenger, "If there was a relationship with the Awami League, thousands of our leaders and workers would not have had to flee. Our leaders and workers would not have been subjected to torture."
“Talking about our affinity with the AL is propaganda. Rather, there is an opportunity to question whether BNP is keeping Jamaat away to please a particular country,” he added.
BNP Chairperson’s advisor Zainul Abdin Farroque told The Daily Messenger, “BNP has no distance with Jamaat, they have been agitating on a separate platform for strategic reasons.”
Advocate Matiur Rahman Akand, spokesman of Jamaat and party’s publicity secretary, told The Daily Messenger, “Jamaat-e-Islami is a separate political party. It has its own thought and spirit. Jamaat-e-Islami is doing politics in relation to Awami League, those who say such things, they have different intentions.”
According to sources, the BNP-Jamaat relationship has been clearly strained since before the 10th National parliamentary elections. Even though several top leaders of Jamaat were hanged and died in prison, the BNP did not react at that time. However, on August 14 last year, BNP expressed grief over the death of Jamaat leader Delawar Hossain Sayeedi, who was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Before the 11th National Assembly elections, the divide between Jamaat and BNP became more pronounced. The formation of the Jatiya Oikya Front alliance excluded Jamaat, further highlighting the growing distance between the two parties. Additionally, the BNP-Jamaat-led 20-party alliance, which had been dormant for a considerable period, dissolved before the 12th National Parliamentary elections. Instead, BNP organized simultaneous programs with like-minded parties, indicating a shift in alliance dynamics.
But Jamaat was angry because BNP did not hold any formal or informal discussions with Jamaat regarding simultaneous movement and program. In this situation, although it was in the program at the beginning of the joint movement, Jamaat withdrew from the joint movement because BNP did not give a statement regarding the arrest of the party’s Amir.
Meanwhile, after more than a decade, Jamaat-e-Islami got police permission to hold a rally in Dhaka on June 10 last year. Since then, the party has been holding regular programs. Even though the police stopped the grand rally of BNP at Naya Paltan in Dhaka on October 28, Jamaat-e-Islami completed the rally peacefully in Arambagh area next door.
Messenger/Disha
