The grass-root leaders of BNP have given their green signal to the party high-command to leave Jamaat-e-Islami out of BNP-led 20-party alliance for the sake of ‘national unity.’
The signal came four days after Jamaat’s race for mayor in Sylhet city polls withheld the victory of BNP’ candidate.
The BNP high command sat with its grass-roots leaders of 19 districts from northern divisions of Rajshahi and Rangpur in the city on Friday (Aug 3).
Started at 9:30am, the meeting ran till 12:30pm where grass-root leaders argued that it is time to leave the Jamaat, which leaders have been hanged over the crime against humanity in the 1971 Independence War.
“The National Standing Committee will sit to decide whether to leave the Jamaat or not,” said a standing committee member, who preferred to go unnamed.
A source at the meeting quoted a grass-root leader Ruhul Kuddus Talukdar Dulu as saying “BNP has (nearly) won the Sylhet polls despite Jamaat ran for the mayoral race. It proves Jamaat is not a factor for BNP in the politics of ballot.”
“So, leaving Jamaat from the 20-party alliance is essential to form the ‘National Unity’ government as proposed by the Khaleda Zia,” said Dulu, who is the organising secretary of BNP Rajshahi division unit.
If BNP can leave Jamaat it can ally with other parties.
It includes Dr Kamal’s Gano Forum and AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury’s Bikolpo Dhara Bangladesh (BDB) and others who never wanted to come with Jamaat because of its anti-Liberation War stance.
BNP Rangpur division unit Organising Secretary Asadul Habib Dulu echoed the Rajshahi leader. “Jamaat must be removed from the (20-party) alliance for the sake of a national unity.”
District leaders, who attended the Friday’s meeting, extended their support to their division unit leaders.
When asked BNP National Standing Committee Member Nazrul Islam Khan, however, did not speak on Jamaat issue.
“The grass-root leaders have talked about a variety of issues with focusing on the release of Khaleda Zia,’ Khan said.