Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman has said that his party will not form an alliance with the BNP in the upcoming national elections.
He made the remark at a press conference held on Thursday (April 17) at a hotel in Gulshan, Dhaka.
Jamaat chief’s statement came amid growing speculation in political circles following his recent surprise courtesy visit to BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia in London.
Addressing the matter, Shafiqur Rahman said, “We went to see her because she is a respected and ailing political leader. It was our moral obligation. Since she was staying at the residence of her son and BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman, he was also present.”
Admitting that politics was discussed during the meeting, the Jamaat Ameer added, “Is it possible for two responsible politicians in Bangladesh to sit together over tea and not talk politics? We discussed general political matters, the upcoming election, and the future of the judiciary. But it was not a formal decision-making meeting.”
When asked whether Jamaat would again ally with the BNP ahead of the election, he replied, “In politics, decisions can be made at any time in the interest of the country and the nation. But so far, no one has officially announced any alliance. BNP has stated they are not joining any political coalition. For now, we are observing.”
BNP and Jamaat had been once close allies, differences between the two have emerged on several issues recently. However, Shafiqur Rahman refused to label these differences as a “conflict.” At the press conference, he said, “Differences of opinion in politics are natural. But we must be careful not to turn them into personal hostilities.”
He further stated, “We want diversity of views in politics—that’s the beauty of democracy. But we must not turn it into animosity or repression. We should move forward in nation-building with mutual respect and tolerance.”
Shafiqur Rahman also claimed that during a recent European tour, a Jamaat delegation met with diplomats from several countries and briefed them on Bangladesh’s current political landscape.
“One of the goals of our visit,” he said, “was to inform the international community that a free, fair, and participatory election in Bangladesh requires a conducive environment.”