Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Friday termed the party’s tie with Jamaat-e-Islami, country’s largest Islamist party, as nothing but an electoral alliance.“There is huge ideological gap between the BNP and the Jamaat. They (Jamaat) have their own ways of working. Our alliance with them is only for votes,” said BNP’s stockperson and international affairs secretary Dr Asaduzzaman Ripon while addressing a press conference at party’s headquarters at Naya Paltan in the city.The BNP leader criticised the Prime Minister for terming the BNP chairperson as ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami and said if Khaleda becomes the ameer of Jamaat; than Sheikh Hasina is the chief of Jatiya Party as she “forced the party” to join the January 5 voter less election .
The prime minister while addressing a public meeting at Malopara in Jessore on Thursday said that Khaleda Zia became the ameer of Jamaat and she is closely associated with them.
Ripon said the publication of gazette on election of Members of Parliament (MPs) and administering them oath before the ending the tenure of Ninth Parliament was illegal. Besides, he said, the people did not recognise the 10th Parliament polls.
He suggested the ruling Awami League should be tolerant and liberal. Replying to the statement of the prime minister that the BNP chairperson had missed the train of election, the BNP spokesperson said indeed, Khaleda missed the train passengers of which were illegal.
He said the BNP does not want to be the illegal passengers of train as there is a possibility of facing mobile court anytime.
“We will suggest the government not to speak loudly that they will retain to power for five years. As illegal passengers, you should speak softly. Otherwise, you will have to quit power and might give fines,” he added.
Ripon said whether the decision to boycott the January 5 elections would be proved in time.
He called upon the government to arrange fresh elections immediately by holding dialogue and understanding
The BNP leader condemned the repression on minority people in different places in the country and demanded finding out the perpetrators and provide them exemplary punishment.
He also demanded formation of probe commission under the supervision of United Nations and international agencies, if necessary.
Shamimur Rahman Shamim, Asadul Karim Shahin, Shirin Sultana, among others, were present on the occasion.
Meanwhile, addressing at a meeting at the National Press Club on Friday, BNP standing committee member Goyeshwar Chandra Roy said the political base of the AL is very weak and it turned into a dead political party.
“Like the fate of Rana Plaza, the political base of the AL may collapse anytime in a natural wind,” he said.
He criticised the role of the prime minister to stop the repression on minority people and said she had arranged cultural functions and cake festival when people were facing indiscriminate arrest, killing, disappearance and attacks were carrying out on minority people.
The BNP leader observed that the minority people came under attacks as they did not cast their votes during January 5 “farcical” polls.
Mahmudur Rahamn Mukti Sangram Parisahd organised the meeting with its adviser Moazzemn Hossain in the chair.
