Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has issued a statement strongly condemning and protesting remarks made by Mahfuj Alam, the interim government’s information adviser, in which he said that Jamaat was an accomplice in war crimes.
In a post on his verified Facebook page on Wednesday, Mahfuj referred to Jamaat’s role in the Liberation War of 1971, saying: “Jamaat was an accomplice in war crimes. But, as Nahid Islam (former information adviser) mentioned, they have atoned for their sins through this revolution. I also emphasized that those in Jamaat who are pro-Bangladesh have the right to participate in the country’s politics.”
Reacting to these comments, Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar, in a statement sent to the media on Thursday, expressed his surprise, calling the remarks “baseless and false.”
“Mahfuj Alam should remember that he is an adviser to a non-political interim government. Therefore, he has no moral or legal right to target any political party and criticize or make untrue statements,” the statement read.
The statement further added: “If you want to make a political statement, it is appropriate to come to the political arena and make a statement. His statement has called into question the apolitical character of the current interim government.”