Fakhrul slams Jamaat for skipping Tuesday’s consensus meet

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir addressing a rally. (File)

Dhaka, June 18 - BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday criticised Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami for skipping the National Consensus Commission meeting on Tuesday due to fears of losing relevance after the national election.

“Many were not happy with the meeting outcome because the election will bring danger for them. As long as there is no election, they hold considerable importance,” he said at a programme of the Dhaka North City Unit BNP.

Once the election concludes, the BNP leader said, the party supported by people will come to power.

In an oblique reference to Jamaat, he said the party is concerned about how much influence it will retain after the election. “That is why they were disappointed and did not attend the meeting with (Consensus Commission) yesterday (Tuesday),” Fakhrul said.

The programme was held on the premises of Sunbeams School to launch the Turag unit of Dhaka North BNP’s new membership form distribution and membership renewal campaign.

According to media reports, Jamaat-e-Islami skipped the National Consensus Commission’s discussion with political parties on Tuesday as a form of protest against the outcome of the London meeting between the Chief Adviser and the BNP Acting Chairman.

The party reportedly informed the commission that it felt ignored after Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman met in London on June 13 and issued a joint statement agreeing to hold the election in February next year.

Fakhrul said when a debate was going on and a rift was developing between the interim government and political parties over an unfavourable election timeline in April next year, Tarique Rahman met Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus in London on 13 June at the latter’s invitation.

He described the meeting as a rare and historic event, as it paved the way for a peaceful democratic transition.

At the meeting, Fakhrul said both Prof Yunus and Tarique moved away from their earlier stances on the election schedule and agreed to hold the polls in February, a week before Ramadan.

“This is what we call statesmanship. Without fuelling division or conflict, these two leaders have created an opportunity for a peaceful election,” he said.

“Do we like this? If you do, give a round of applause for Tarique Rahman and Prof Yunus,” he said, prompting claps from party leaders and workers.

The BNP Secretary General said their party will not engage in vote rigging or break the law like the Awami League.

He said BNP will seek votes with humbleness to come to power, rather than by depriving people of their rights. “In the last 15 years, whatever the Awami League has done, we will not follow that path. We must learn from the consequences they have faced. Our aim is to protect everyone’s rights.”

Speaking about the membership collection programme, Fakhrul warned that no Awami League members should be allowed to enter BNP.  “It is proven that no one from the Awami League is good. They only work for their own interests, not for others. So, no one of them should be included in our party.”

He urged party leaders to include people with a clean image and good reputation in BNP.

Highlighting BNP’s commitment to the people and the country, Fakhrul said solving the unemployment crisis would be their top priority if the party comes to power. “We will create jobs for one crore unemployed people. The government will be run by giving priority to the youth.”

He also criticised those involved in extortion, calling them professional extortionists. “Such people always try to join the ruling party by any means. BNP will not give place to any extortionist.”

Referring to the 1991 election, Fakhrul said, “Back then, there was no guarantee of how many seats BNP would win. But the party had a good image, and that’s why it won the majority and formed the government.”

He urged party leaders and workers to gain public trust through good work in order to achieve success in the upcoming election. - UNB