Islami Andolan Bangladesh on Sunday strongly criticised Jamaat-e-Islami Senior Nayeb-e-Ameer Abdullah Muhammad Taher, accusing him of misrepresenting the party during a discussion with an official of the American Embassy.
In a statement, Islami Andolan Bangladesh Joint Secretary General and spokesperson Maulana Gazi Ataur Rahman alleged that Taher had joined an “anti-national conspiracy” by claiming there was “some extremism” within Islami Andolan Bangladesh during the conversation.
Rahman said Islami Andolan Bangladesh is a spiritual and reformist political movement rooted in the region’s thousand-year-old Sufi tradition and gains public support through what he described as its Islamic dawah character based on love, service and logic.
He said the party seeks to establish Islam through systematic and democratic means and has never supported any form of extremism stemming from non-Islamic or misguided concepts.
The statement criticised Taher for failing to properly explain Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s position and instead portraying the party as a target, alleging that he adopted Western “War on Terror” narratives and effectively took a stance against the country.
Rahman said attempts to label Islamic political forces in the country as extremist or radical amounted to an anti-national agenda, adding that Taher had now aligned himself with such efforts.
He said Islami Andolan Bangladesh has conducted its political activities openly for more than three decades and has consistently worked to promote reformist politics against terrorism and violence.
Following the remarks, Islami Andolan Bangladesh demanded a clear statement and explanation from the American Embassy regarding the context in which Taher’s comments were made.
