Jatiya Oikya Front chief Dr Kamal Hossain said it was a “mistake” on their part that Jamaat-e-Islami affiliated candidates contested the 11th general election under their platform’s banner.
“Whatever happened in the past involving Jamaat was an unintentional mistake. We did not know that they [Oikya Front member BNP] would give nominations to 22 Jamaat leaders,” he told reporters on Saturday, when asked whether he would be in Oikya Front if the BNP keeps Jamaat with it as an ally.
"What you [journalists] are saying about doing politics with Jamaat, we were not aware of it," he said.
“But let me make it clear: we will never conduct our political activities with Jamaat as a partner. Jamaat has not been a part of our platform in the recent past and never will be in the future,” Dr Kamal stressed.
Asked whether Oikya Front would request BNP to sever its ties with Jamaat, he said: “We may do that. We will discuss this Jamaat issue with BNP and demand a solution immediately, in order to keep Oikya Front intact and make it stronger.”
Dr Kamal, also the Gono Forum president, made the remarks while briefing the media after an extended meeting of Gono Forum’s central executive committee at its Motijheel office in Dhaka in the afternoon.
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A total of 26 Jamaat leaders — 22 with BNP’s sheaf of paddy symbol, and four independently — contested the election. All of them, however, had withdrawn from the race midway, alleging vote rigging and irregularities by the ruling party.
"I have already publicly said that I was not aware of Jamaat candidates in the election. When I gave consent... I was not informed about Jamaat. I think you [journalists] can say it was a mistake,” he said.
Ruling Awami League had a landslide win in the December 30 general polls, amid the opposition’s allegations of widespread rigging and irregularities.
Earlier at Saturday’s press briefing, reading out a written statement, Gono Forum General Secretary Mostafa Mohsin Montu said that a stronger national unity should be forged in future, shunning the mistakes made during the hurried formation of Oikya Front.
He also announced that the party’s National Council will be held on March 23 and 24.
To strengthen the party, its central leaders will also visit different districts soon, Mostafa added.