BNP Standing Committee member Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku's statement and opinion about Jamaat-e-Islami are entirely his own; the party has no involvement with it, said Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, the party's senior joint secretary general.
In a media statement released on Saturday, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said: "The BNP's foundation is nationalism. The party is a liberal democratic political party that advocates for people-centered democracy, social justice, economic liberation, and religious and cultural freedom for all religions.
He said that Tuku's statements and opinions about secularism, political Islam, and the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami in a recent interview with the Indian daily “The Hindu” are entirely his own.
In the interview, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku reiterated a similar sentiment, asserting that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ascended to power in 1996 in response to the caretaker government's demand. Despite Khaleda Zia holding the position of prime minister at that time, she endorsed the formation of a caretaker government, aligning with her commitment to democratic principles.
However, Tuku pointed out that after assuming power through the caretaker government, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is now disallowing its role for political parties in Bangladesh.
In the context of the interview, Mahmud argued that the BNP is a secular political party, staunchly opposing the political use of Islam and identifying itself as a liberal democratic entity.
"We once had an alliance with Jamaat, akin to political alliances in democratic countries like India. However, that is now a thing of the past. The crucial question here is directed at Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina: Why has Jamaat not been banned?” Mahmud Tuku emphasized this point during the interview.
Addressing the issue, several BNP leaders have remarked that Iqbal Hasan Mahmud spoke following the current policy of the BNP.
They asserted that his statements regarding Jamaat reflect the reality that the government has not taken steps to ban the party. Moreover, he underscored that the era of having 20 parties with Jamaat is now history.
In this regard, members of the standing committee, the vice chairman of the party, and certain central leaders believe that Mahmud Tuku's statements were made to appease Jamaat.