Jamaat-e-Islami is unlikely to react in the way they did in February and March if the International Crimes Tribunal’s (ICT) verdict goes against its assistant general secretary Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, a war crime suspect, due on Thursday.
Pointing out the fact that many of their leaders are in prison, a number of Jamaat leaders deem it “not a suitable time to make the party weaker by calling for tougher action”.
They alleged that the reputation of the war crimes tribunal is already at stake and using the “bad reputation” the detained leaders can be freed once the government changes in their favour.
Jamaat leaders, however, warned that they are likely to demonstrate across the country and added: “If the law enforcers bar them, they will react.”
The ICT-2 is set to give verdict in the Kamaruzzaman case on Thursday.
A central leader of Jamaat said they would hold demonstration on Friday and Saturday if the tribunal awards Kamaruzzaman with punishment.
“If the law enforcement agencies hinder our demonstration we might call for strike for Monday and Tuesday,” the central leader said as Hifazat-e- Islam has already called for strike on Sunday.
Some mid-level central leaders hinted that they would execute some plans and added they have preparation to create agitation like non-stop hartals, blockade in reaction to the verdict.
Meanwhile, the top Jamaat leaders started communicating with the international “well-wishers” of Jamaatin order to accumulate sufficient fund and encourage its field-level activists to take part in the upcoming movement.
“People know that our leaders are innocent and are merely victims of the government’s conspiracy. They would not tolerate if the leaders are punished,” claimed Jamaat’s working committee member Shafiqul Islam Masudwhile talking to the Dhaka Tribune recently.
He hinted that “people” might react violently in case of any injustice.
Shibir spokesperson Yasin Arafat said though a huge number of their activists were in jail “the root-level leaders and activists want the central leaders to announce tougher movement if anything happens to the Jamaat leaders.”
Several Jamaat leaders said they asked its leaders and activists to “contribute” to the emergency fund at least 10 times than they usually do if needed.
The fund was created for rehabilitating their leaders and providing financial support to the families of those killed.
Earlier on February 28, after the tribunal sentenced Jamaat leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee to death, their activists caused mayhem throughout the country. They almost isolated the capital from 16 districts and 33 upazilas.
According to government officials, 43 people were killed during the violent demonstrations on the first day. 45 more including law enforcers were killed in the next few days.
While chanting slogans against the tribunal and demanding release of Sayedee, the agitators swooped down on the law enforcers, establishments of the state, communication systems, and also destroyed hundreds of temples and houses of the Hindu communities. The pro-government supporters were also attacked and many were killed.
The opposition alliance had already declared a 2-daydawn-to-dusk shutdown which started on Wednesday.
