BNP senior leader Nazrul Islam Khan on Sunday criticised a Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami candidate for claiming that the BNP would not be allowed to win any seat in Dhaka, urging Jamaat leaders to refrain from making arrogant statements that, he said, put their faith to the test.
“Jamaat leaders are saying they will not give us a single seat in Dhaka… I think they are saying such things to encourage their workers. But they should not say anything that even puts their faith (in Allah) to the test,” he said.
Speaking at a discussion organised by Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Dal at the Jatiya Press Club, Nazrul, a BNP Standing Committee member, also warned Jamaat leaders that Allah does not like pride or arrogance.
According to media reports, Jamaat-e-Islami candidate SM Khaliduzzaman, contesting from the Dhaka-17 constituency against Tarique Rahman, claimed they would not give BNP any seats in Dhaka.
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Reacting to the remarks, Nazrul said, “Tell me, who are the owner of the seats? Of course, it is Allah. On whose authority are they saying no one else will get any seat in Dhaka?”
He also reminded Jamaat that it was BNP that won all seats in Dhaka in 1991. “Yet, we never said no one else would get seats. Anyone can win. Elections are uncertain matters. Whoever Allah helps, the people will support, and that person will be elected.”
The BNP leader also said Jamaat has never won a seat in Dhaka city or in any adjoining districts. “So, is making such claims not arrogance? Is it not pride?”
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On the issue of dual citizenship, Nazrul said the Election Commission has shown weakness.
He explained that Article 66 of the Constitution states that a Bangladeshi citizen by birth who holds foreign citizenship can contest elections after giving up that citizenship.
“There is no condition saying whether the foreign country has formally accepted the renunciation. No such requirement exists,” the BNP leader said.
He also said under the Representation of the People Order (RPO), candidates are only asked in their affidavits whether they have accepted dual citizenship. “It does not ask whether the application to give it up has been accepted or not.”
Speaking about the placement of the BNP’s sheaf of paddy symbol on postal ballots, Nazrul said the symbol was placed in a way that could be hidden when the ballot paper was folded.
“Initially, symbols like the scales, water lily and hand fan were placed clearly. The sheaf of paddy was placed in the middle, where it gets covered by the fold,” he said.
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Nazrul said BNP raised the issue with the Election Commission, which claimed it was done unintentionally by office staff. “They said they were not aware of it and did not realise it would happen this way.”
The BNP leader said the country must move forward on the path of development under the leadership of Zia family.
“We have seen the Zia family during every national crisis. We saw Ziaur Rahman, we saw Begum Khaleda Zia, and now we see Tarique Rahman at this critical juncture,” he said.
He said the people of the country trusted the Zia family, relied on them and they worked to fulfill the people’s hopes and succeeded.