Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has strongly condemned and protested comments made by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who allegedly said that the party should be “politically eliminated”.
At a press conference held at the BNP central office in Nayapaltan, Dhaka, Fakhrul reportedly made remarks about “eliminating Jamaat politically”, which Jamaat described as undemocratic and unwarranted.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar strongly criticized the comments.
In the statement, Golam Parwar said the BNP secretary general’s remarks, describing a political threat to eliminate Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, were unconstitutional, undesirable and indecent. He said such language does not reflect democratic values.
“He has spoken in a manner similar to the defeated Awami fascist forces. This is not appropriate,” he said, adding that the people do not expect such politically discourteous statements from a responsible leader. He further said the remarks could encourage violence and anarchy in the country.
Parwar also said the statement proved that BNP was allegedly conspiring to eliminate the parliamentary opposition and establish what he described as one-party authoritarian rule.
He added that past attempts by “fascist forces” over the last 17 and a half years had failed to eliminate Jamaat. He urged the BNP secretary general to refrain from making such “reckless statements” and to help maintain a democratic environment.