Jamaat-e-Islami is ‘pained and hurt’ at the resignation of Abdur Razzaq who advised the party to ask forgiveness for its dubious role during the 1971 war of independence and dissolve the party.
“We are saddened and hurt at his resignation. Resignation is recognised right of any member,” Jamaat Secretary General Shafiqur Rahman said in a statement issued hours after the assistant secretary general tendered his resignation on Friday.
“We pray for his health and wellbeing wherever he stays,” Shafiqur said adding, “We hope our friendly relations with him (Razzaq) will continue.”
We remember Razzaq’s “all past contributions party with respect,” reads the statement.
Early in the day, BBC Bangla broke the news that Razzaq resigned the party highlighting the role of Jamaat in 1971 as the main cause.
Razzaq claims that he had been trying for a long time to make the party seek apology to the nation for its role in 1971.
Razzaq is currently in Britain and in a letter sent from Barking, Essex, he said, “It’s time’s demand to build a democratic party based on Islamic ideals and within the secular constitution of Bangladesh.”
He further wrote, “But Jamaat could not reform the party and even after 47 years of independence, could not seek forgiveness from the nation.”
They did not explain their position during the liberation war, he added.
Before going to Britain, Razzaq worked as the main counsel for the Jamaat leaders accused of war crimes at the ICT. He became a member of Jamaat in 1986.
Jamaat secretary general Shafiqur, however, nowhere addressed the issues in the statement.