The Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami is still undecided whether it will join the BNP-sponsored long march towards Teesta Barrage set to begin on April 22.
The BNP will hold the two-day programme demanding proper water sharing of the River Teesta.
The party at a joint meeting of its alliance on Thursday formally invited the Jamaat-e-Islami to join the long march. But, Jamaat is yet to reach a final decision as to whether it will join the long march or not.
The party at a meeting yesterday could not come to a decision in this regard, a Jamaat leader, who attended the meeting, told the Dhaka Tribune.
However, Islami Oikya Jote, a Qawmi Madrasa-based political party, is keen to join the long march, said a party leader.
According to party sources, the government and the law enforcement agencies have softened their stance on Jamaat. If the party takes part in the long march, law enforcers may go tough on them, the sources added.
The highest policymaking body of Jamaat had a meeting yesterday where its leaders discussed several issues, including the long march.
Meeting sources said a group of leaders gave their opinion to take part in the programme. They argued that the party should take part in the long march to strengthen relationship with the BNP.
After completion of upazila polls, the leaders think, relations between BNP and Jamaat has worsened in the last few months.
But another group spoke against the long march. They said the BNP had taken decision on the long march without any discussion or meeting with the Jamaat. Even they did not express solidarity with the demonstration programme held on April 16.
They also think that the party should arrange separate programmes.
Jamaat working committee member Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher told the Dhaka Tribune that the party was yet to take any decision whether it would take part in the long march or not.
The final decision will be taken on April 20 after consultation with the grass roots level leaders, said a Jamaat leader. Earlier, the party asked its grass roots level leaders to inform them of their decision on or before April 20.
Jamaat leader Abdul Halim said: “We have no distance with the BNP, but the BNP should have taken decision after consulting the other partners of the 19-party alliance.”
Islami Oikya Jote Chairman Abdul Latif Nezami said they had got invitation to join the long march. “It is a national issue. We hope we will join the long march.”
Khelafat Majlish Secretary General Sakhawat Hossain said his party would participate in the long march.