BNP says Jamaat trying to obstruct next year's elections in Bangladesh

Dhaka, Sep 21 (IANS) In an escalating political tension, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) accused the radical Islamist Party Jamaat-e-Islami of attempting to delay the country's upcoming general elections through various "tactics", including street agitation, local media reported.

Addressing a youth dialogue in Dhaka on Saturday, BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed questioned Jamaat, asking why it is trying to obstruct the election if it is so confident about returning to power as its leaders claim.

"There were a few rallies of Jamaat and other parties across the country on Friday. Some newspapers carried headlines on Saturday saying that Jamaat leaders claimed they will form the government while the BNP will sit in opposition. But who decides that? Is it you, or is it the people? If you are so confident, then why don't you join the election instead of making excuses one after another to obstruct it?" leading Bangladeshi media outlet UNB quoted the BNP leader as saying.

Salahuddin also criticised Jamaat for demanding a ban on Jatiya Party and the 14-party alliance. He asserted that the BNP knows that the real motive of Jamaat is "to derail the national elections."

The BNP leader further condemned Jamaat for its "double standards", noting that the public is observing which group it has aligned with in its simultaneous movement for several demands, including the introduction of a Proportional Representation (PR) system and a ban on the 14-party alliance and Jatiya Party.

Salhuddin stressed that differences of opinion are part of democracy and any party has the right to take to the streets to press its demands through democratic means.

"We have been saying that these issues are still awaiting settlement at the negotiation table. So, are you taking to the streets to apply extra pressure?" he questioned.

"If you do, we will also have to go to the streets to counter it. Is that what we want now? We want these matters resolved at the negotiation table," he added.

Earlier on Thursday, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir slammed the joint street programmes announced by several radical Islamist parties, including Jamaat, arguing that pressing for demands, such as the PR system in elections, is "not good for democracy".

The parties that earlier collaborated with Muhammad Yunus to overthrow the democratically elected government of the Awami League, led by Sheikh Hasina, are now at loggerheads over reform proposals.

--IANS

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