Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud today said that BNP has instructed Jamaat-e-Islami to give statement about resisting the upcoming national election.
“The statements made during Jamaat's recent rally reflect BNP's stance. They advocated for resisting the national election, similar to what occurred in 2014 when many people lost their lives in violent clashes. Jamaat is the main partner of the BNP-led coalition, and the directive to resist the election came from BNP itself,” he said while addressing the media at the Ministry of Information's conference room in the Secretariat on Sunday.
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He further said, “The people of Bangladesh will not allow a recurrence of the events that took place in 2013, 2014, and 2015. The intentions behind their recent statement were made evident. It is necessary to address this situation.”
Responding to questions regarding allowing Jamaat to hold a rally, Mahmud said, “As Jamaat has not yet been banned and has applied for permission for the rally as a political party, they were granted permission.”
“Every political party has the right to hold rallies, as long as they are not banned. Any political party's ability to hold meetings is not restricted unless they face a ban,” the minister said.
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Mahmud further explained, “We encourage the participation of all political parties in the election. The electoral process extends beyond the election day itself. With only six months remaining until the election, it is customary for political parties to hold meetings in order to create a conducive environment.”
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He continued: “Various political parties are currently organizing meetings, but BNP and Jamaat's motives differ. By reviewing their past actions and interpreting their recent statements, it is evident that they are attempting to replicate past events. However, the people of this nation will not tolerate such actions.”
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