Dhaka – A group of intellectuals and professionals on Thursday night suggested that BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia either leave Jamaat-e-Islami or give it a condition to offer apology to the nation for its Liberation War misdeeds for forging a national unity with all parties to tackle militancy, UNB news agency has reported.They put forward the suggestion at a nearly two-hour meeting with the BNP chief held at her Gulshan office.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, senior jurist Barrister Rafiqu-ul Huq said, “I suggested that she should abandon Jamaat. I don’t want to tell you anything more about the meeting.”
Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury said, “The Jamaat issue was discussed at the meeting. I told her (Khaleda) that Jamaat will have to render apology to the nation for the misdeeds of its predecessors and its role against the Liberation War (to forge a national unity).”
He said though war criminal Ghulam Azam once offered apology, Jamaat did not do it as a party. “So our suggestions to the current new Jamaat leadership are that it should render apology to the nation for its anti-Liberation War role.”
Asked what Khaleda told him in reply, Zafrullah claimed to have found her attitude positive. “I’ve realised from her discussion that she also thinks it is (offering apology by Jamaat) logical.”
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia sat with pro-BNP intellectuals, journalists and eminent citizens.
At the meeting, she sought opinions of the participants as to how a national unity can be formed to eliminate militancy from the country.
Prof Emajuddin Ahmed said they suggested Khaleda take initiate for forging the national unity with all irrespective of their parties and opinions.
Earlier on Wednesday night, the BNP chairperson held separate meetings with top leaders of the 20-party alliance and her party’s standing committee members and vice-chairmen.
On July 3, Khaleda Zia held a meeting with her party’s standing committee members two days after the country’s deadliest terrorist attack on a Gulshan cafe.
After the meeting, she at a press conference called upon all, irrespective of party and opinion, to forge unity against terrorism to eliminate militancy from the country.
Twenty-two people, including nine Italians, seven Japanese, one Indian national and two police officials, were killed as terrorists attacked Holey Artisan Bakery at the city’s Gulshan diplomatic zone on July 1.
On July 7, terrorists attacked a police check-post near Sholakia Eidgah in Kishoreganj only minutes before the Eid prayers, killing two policemen and a housewife. Law enforcers also gunned down one of the attackers.
