Maqbul new ameer of Jamaat

Maqbul Ahmad took oath as the elected ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami yesterday.

The 70-year-old leader, who had been the party's acting ameer for the last six years, has been elected for the top post of the party that vehemently opposed and dejected Bangladesh's Liberation War in 1971 and its subsequent independence from Pakistan.

Jamaat was banned in independent Bangladesh until 1979 when the party was reborn following the lifting of the ban against a backdrop of a political changeover.

On August 17, the party's rukans (oath taking members), by a secret ballot that held at 83 organisational districts of the party, appointed Maqbul as the ameer for the tenure beginning in 2017 and ending in 2019.

After taking oath, Maqbul in an extended statement expressed his gratitude and respect to the people and the freedom fighters for their gallantry and supreme sacrifices during the Liberation War in 1971.

In the statement, Maqbul also paid profound respect to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the architect of the country's independence; late president Ziaur Rahman; Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani; General MAG Osmani, the first commander-in-chief of Bangladesh armed forces; and other undisputed leaders of the Liberation War of Bangladesh.

Maqbul is Jamaat's first chief executive against whom no war crimes allegation has been raised yet, party sources said.