The Jamaat-e-Islami is not anymore the party it was during Bangladesh’s War of Independent, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) president Oli Ahmed claimed on Thursday (Jun 27) as he floated a new political forum in a bid to free BNP chief Khaleda Zia from jail and ‘restore democracy’.
“The Jamaat in 1971 and Jamaat in 2019 are not the same. They love the country a lot and brought about changes within them,” he told at a press conference announcing the platform ‘Jatiya Mukti Mancha’.
Bangladesh Kalyan Party (BKP), Jatiya Ganatantrik Party (Jagpa), Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish and Democratic National Movement are with LDP in the new platform to press its 18-point demand, said Oli, a freedom fighter and a retired Bangladesh Army colonel.
Flanked by BKP chief Syed Md Ibrahim, Khelafat Majlish’s Ahmed Ali Kashemi among others at the stage, Oli read out a written statement.
“We can’t remain silent in the current bad economic and political situation of the country. So, we decided to free Khaleda Zia and restore democracy,” he said before adding the 18-point demand also includes a fresh national election under a non-party neutral government.
No central leaders of Jamaat attended the media call, but there were several activists and supporters of it accounted for the audience.
Responding to a query from reporters, Oli said, “We will include all parties with us who believe in the spirit of Bangladesh’s Liberation. I will not speak about who had tried to divide the nation and refrain from blame games.”
The nation now needs to get united, a former BNP minister Oli said before adding: “The Jamaat in 1971 and Jamaat in 2019 are not the same. They love the country a lot and brought about changes within them”, when the Jamaat activists among the audience clapped and cheered.
On the new political platform, Oli made it clear that it won’t indulge in any destructive and terror acts.
“People now fear of taking to the street, we’ll have to encourage them to come out of their home. We’ll also make the government understand to come to the straight path from the wrong one.”
He hoped that opposition parties will join their platform to ensure justice in society.
Asked whether his party will quit the BNP-led 20-party alliance with the formation of new political body, Oli said Jatiya Mukti Mancha is not a political alliance, rather a platform. “We’re there in the 20-party and will remain so in the days to come.”