‘Jamaat tells BNP it’s ready to make any compromise’

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Salman Tareque Sakil
Published : 00:34, Sep 28, 2018 | Updated : 16:01, Sep 29, 2018

 An alliance leader, asking not to be named, said Jamaat-e-Islam is ready to make any compromise regarding any issue, especially the national unity.Jamaat-e-Islam has told the BNP that it’s ready to make any compromise for the sake of a coalition against the government, according to people who attended the 20-party Alliance’s meeting on Thursday.
The Jukto Front, comprised of AQM Badrudozza Chowdhury-led Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, ASM Abdur Rab’s Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) and Mahmudur Rahman Manna’s Nagorik Oikya, recently forged unity with the Jatiya Oikya Prokriya, a loose political group led by senior lawyer and Gano Forum chief Dr Kamal Hossain.
On Sept 15, Dr Kamal announced a ‘greater national unity’ from a citizens’ rally, which was joined by senior BNP leaders, including Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
However, on Tuesday, B Chowhdury’s Bikalpa Dhara told BNP that it can forget about a coalition if the Jamaat were to be in it.
On Thursday, the BNP had a meeting of the 20-party Alliance led by it at the party chief’s Gulshan offices, where Jamaat was represented by its Executive Committee member Abdul Halim.
An alliance leader, asking not to be named, said that Halim told the meeting that his party is ready to make any compromise regarding any issue, especially the national unity.
The Jamaat representative said they will back any anti-government coalition.
“Halim said that the BNP should a forge a unity even if it’s without Jamaat since everyone has a common agenda,” said the alliance leader, preferring anonymity.
Jamaat leader Halim, however, declined to comment after the meeting.
During Thursday’s meeting, the BNP, however, had to face questions from its allies over the new coalition, according to several people, who attended the meeting.
Except for Jamaat leader Halim and BJP chief Andaleeve Rahman, almost all other representatives said that the BNP has kept them on the the sideline over forging a ‘national unity’.
The BNP was represented by Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and National Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan, who reportedly assured allies that they will not be kept in dark regarding all decisions over the next election.
A leader, who attended the meeting, said Mirza Fakhrul asked them to keep faith on the BNP and that the new coalition will not harm the 20-party Alliance’s interest.
Speaking to Bangla Tribune after the meeting, Nazrul Islam Khan said that they discussed the political situation, update on the process of a national unity.
“The BNP has waged a movement in consultation with its allies in the 20-party coalition. Our demands are similar to several others and our leader had raised these demands a year ago,” he said.
On the allies claims of being sidelined, Khan, however, said, “These are not the issues to discuss now. The BNP will address the issues in time.”

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