Be cautious of Jamaat’s new platform: Nasim

Awami League Presidium Member Mohammed Nasim yesterday called upon all, including law enforcement agencies, to keep close vigilance on the newly-floated political platform of former leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami.

“I would like to call upon law enforcers to keep your eyes on them and remain alert about them,” Nasim said while addressing a press conference at the party’s central office at Bangabandhu Avenue.

On Saturday, a group of former leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir, headed by former Shibir president Mojibur Rahman Monju, launched a new political initiative named Jana Aakangkhar Bangladesh.

Jamaat in a press statement yesterday welcomed Monju for his initiative to form the platform.

Criticising Jamaat activists, Nasim -- also spokesperson of the Awami League-led 14-party alliance, said, “The track record of the Jamaat-e-Islami is very hateful and shocking.”

“I, on behalf of the 14-party alliance, call upon the countrymen to remain alert from the Jamaat men,” Nasim said.

Monju, who according to several Jamaat leaders is known to be a hardliner, came up with the move following differences of opinion within Jamaat over reforms and whether it would apologise to the nation for opposing the 1971 Liberation War.

Jamaat, which opposed Bangladesh’s birth, has already been in trouble after its senior leaders were handed down punishment for crimes against humanity. The Election Commission in October last year also cancelled the party’s registration.

In an impromptu reaction to the new initiative, ruling Awami League acting general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif on Saturday said those behind the move were none other than Jamaat men.

“They don’t have any right to do politics even if they change their name and identity,” he told reporters at a programme in the capital.

“BNP HAS FACED MORAL DEFEAT”

About the oath-taking of BNP lawmaker Zahidur Rahman (from Kurigram-3 constituency) against his party’s decision, Nasim said BNP has met its political failure and that has been proved through the oath.

The BNP leaders elected in the December 30 national election have started to come to the parliament, and other lawmakers are expected to be the part of the parliament, he said.

Claiming that Bangladesh is a country of communal harmony, Nasim said, “We want peace across the globe as religion does not support killing of innocent people.”

The veteran leader also underscored the need for unity to resist the acts of terrorism and militancy.