The Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Thursday was tight-lipped on the High Court verdict that declared illegal the registration of Jamaat-e-Islami, a key ally of BNP.
When approached, none one of the party’s senior leaders wanted to make
comments on the issue.The High Court on Thursday declared illegal the Election Commission’s decision registering Jamaat-e–Islami as a political party.
A number of leaders on condition of anonymity, however, told New Age that they were happy with the verdict as they thought the BNP would not have to depend on alliance with Jamaat to secure their vote bank.
They said that the votes of Jamaat would go into the account of BNP in future polls.
Some of them said it would also help BNP get rid of the allegation of supporting the war criminals due to its alliance with Jamaat.
Some young leaders of BNP and its front organisations said they had to face questions from the young activists because of its alliance with Jamaat which had opposed the Liberation War and committed crimes against humanity in the War in 1971.
Asked why they did not want to be quoted, they said Jamaat leaders, activists and supporters would be angry and take a stand against BNP if they were quoted.
BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and some standing committee members could not be reached over phone for comments.
However, BNP joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi told New Age that he did not get any instructions from the party policymakers to comment.
BNP had kept mum also over the verdicts in the war crimes cases against a number of Jamaat leaders, including its former chief Ghulam Azam and secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed.
-With New Age input
