Bangladesh: Islami Andolan questions credibility of BNP, Jamaat ahead of Feb elections

Dhaka: As political tensions intensify ahead of Bangladesh’s February 12 elections, Islami Andolan Bangladesh (IAB) said that neither the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) nor Jamaat-e-Islami deserves public trust, accusing both parties of failing to meet people’s aspirations during their respective periods in power, local media reported.

Addressing a campaign rally at Konabari College Field in Gazipur district on Friday, the IAB chief Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim criticised the BNP-Jamaat alliance’s 2001–06 tenure, alleging that Bangladesh was ranked the world’s most corrupt nation five consecutive times during that period.

“The nation was tormented by terrorism. Corruption spread through every layer of the state. The responsibility for 1/11 in 2006 also lies with BNP-Jamaat. Due to their manipulation of the caretaker government system, the country fell into a long-term crisis. Therefore, there is no reason to trust them again,” Bangladesh’s leading newspaper, The Daily Star, quoted Karim as saying.

He also sought votes for IAB –nominated candidate GM Ruhul Amin, who is contesting from the Gazipur-1 constituency in the upcoming polls.

“Voting for them would not change the fate of the people or bring real development to the country,” the IAB leader added, slamming BNP and Jamaat.

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Appealing to voters on religious grounds by advocating Shariah and Islam, Karim said, “In a country with 90 per cent Muslims, only we are fighting for Shariah and Islam with the hand-fan (Hatpakha) symbol. I have come to ask you to vote in favour of Shariah and Islam. Now the decision is yours.”

Earlier this month, fissures emerged within the Jamaat-led alliance after coalition partner IAB announced its decision to part ways with the bloc, local media reported.

Stressing that it does not wish to engage in politics by “depending on others’ favour”, the IAB said that it plans to contest the next general elections independently in 268 out of 300 constituencies.

The development came after the Jamaat-led alliance announced seat allocations for 253 constituencies ahead of the February polls while addressing a press briefing in Dhaka, which was boycotted by IAB, one of its key allies.

Speaking to the media at the party’s Purana Paltan central office in the capital, IAB Spokesperson Gazi Ataur Rahman said the party had been “deprived of justice” during the seat-sharing arrangement and alleged that the alliance had “deviated from Islamic ideals”, The Daily Star reported.

Bangladesh has been witnessing escalating political disputes ahead of the February 12 election.

The parties that earlier collaborated with the interim government’s Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, to overthrow the democratically elected government of the Awami League, led by Sheikh Hasina, are now embroiled in an intense power struggle to win the upcoming election.