BNP Acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has accused Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami of practising double standards, alleging that the party makes promises in the name of Islam and Allah for political gain but acts contrary to those commitments.
Rizvi made the remarks at a doa mahfil marking the 25th death anniversary of former BNP vice-chairman Afsar Ahmad Siddiqui at the Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka on Sunday.
“You love to follow the path of Hasina’s fascism the most. Sometimes you try to form an alliance with BNP for the sake of power. But in reality, you follow the very path shown by Hasina,” he said, addressing Jamaat.
Responding to the Jamaat chief’s allegation that BNP was following the path of fascism, Rizvi said BNP was the only party capable of resisting fascism and had never deviated from its commitments.
He said numerous BNP leaders and activists had faced killings, enforced disappearances, false cases, imprisonment and inhumane repression, but the party had remained committed to its democratic principles.
“But we do not know whether you have that conviction,” Rizvi said, questioning Jamaat’s commitment to democracy.
He alleged that Jamaat had never established a clear ideological position on democracy or Bangladesh’s independence, which continued to raise public suspicion about the party.
Paying tribute to Afsar Ahmad Siddiqui, Rizvi described him as a distinguished politician and selfless leader who had upheld exemplary political values from his student days until his death.
He said such political figures were rarely seen today, recalling that he had learnt valuable lessons while working with Siddiqui that later helped him in life.
BNP Health Affairs Secretary Rafiqul Islam, Volunteer Affairs Secretary Mir Sarfat Ali Sapu and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal Vice-President Touhidur Rahman Awal also addressed the memorial meeting.
Afsar Ahmad Smriti Foundation Convener Jahanara Siddiqui chaired the programme.
