The ruling 14-party alliance has urged media to “stop making an issue” out of the remarks that some Awami League leaders have made regarding JaSaD’s role in 1975.
The Awami League and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JaSaD) are partners in the ruling alliance.
“Is this your new assignment? Otherwise, why would you [reporters] ask the same questions on JaSaD over and over again? I think some people are trying to make an issue out of this and create a rift in the 14-party alliance. But their conspiracy will never work out,” said Mohammad Nasim, health minister and spokesperson of the Awami League-led combine.
He was talking to reporters yesterday at the Dhanmondi political office of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also Awami League chief. Before that, Nasim had held a meeting with their partners from the 14-party combine, some of whom were present when he was briefing reporters.
Last month, Awami League leaders Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim and Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif blamed the then leftist parties, including JaSad, for creating the environment that led to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s killing in 1975.
In reply, JaSaD said such comments could prove to be detrimental for the integrity of the ruling alliance.
In a recent cabinet meeting, PM Sheikh Hasina expressed anger over the controversial remarks. For this reason, the leaders had gone silent about the matter, Awami League insiders told the Dhaka Tribune.
During yesterday’s press conference, Nasim said: “We [alliance partners] sat together and sorted things out. Sometimes members of a partnership may get involved in tussle...This is not a big deal. The ties between the 14-allies have only been getting stronger.”
The health minister said that the 14-party will form two teams for conducting relief operations in the flood-affected regions – one team will go north and the other to the south – starting Saturday, September 12.