Maqbul to be announced new Jamaat ameer

Jamaat-e-Islami is going to announce Maqbul Ahmad as its new ameer within a week, party insiders said.

 Maqbul, who is over 70, is the most senior leader of Jamaat. Currently, he is serving as the acting ameer of the party.

Once he becomes the ameer, he would be the first chief of Jamaat, the organisation that took rebirth in independent Bangladesh in 1979, having no war crimes allegations against him.

Over 40,000 rukan (members) of the party elected Maqbul from a three-member panel. Jamaat Nayeb-e-Ameer Mujibur Rahman and Acting Secretary General Shafiqur Rahman were the other two members, said the insiders.

On August 17, the voters cast their ballots at the party's 83 organisational districts, maintaining secrecy in the voting process.

Due to the current “adverse situation” in the country, the voting took place at different places, including business outlets, educational institutions and even at the houses of lesser known Jamaat leaders, added the insiders.

Early this month, the 277-member majlish-e-sura, the highest policy making body of the party, formed the three-member panel.

Two senior and influential Jamaat leaders -- war criminal Abdus Subhan and Delawar Hossain Sayedee -- were not considered by the members of majlish-e-sura for the post.

Abdus Subhan was awarded death penalty by the International Crimes Tribunal while Supreme Court commuted the death penalty of Sayedee to jail unto death.

 Maqbul has been serving as the party's acting ameer since the arrest of Motiur Rahman Nizami for war crimes.

The post of Jamaat ameer fell vacant after Nizami was executed.

On the other hand, Shafiqur has been discharging duties of the party's acting secretary general since the arrest of Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed for crimes against humanity.

This post of secretary general fell vacant after Mojaheed was executed on November 21, last year.

Nizami was elected ameer in 2009. He later picked Mojaheed for the secretary general post.

Party insiders said Shafiqur is likely to be selected by Maqbul as his deputy.

Shafiqur also does not face any war crimes case.

Both Maqbul and Shafiqur are discharging their duties by hiding in unknown places, said party sources.

Once the secretary general is picked, the party will elect the members of its central majlish-e-sura, central working council, central executive council, divisional secretaries and ameers of district and city units, added the sources.