BNP has decided not to give its opinion on Thursday’s High Court judgement declaring Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s party registration illegal and void only months ahead of polls, saying that it was a sub-judice matter. But the party spokesperson couldn’t help saying something: “I will not say anything about the verdict. It is a sub-judice matter…the government has started to ban political parties for destroying the opposition parties to hold a one-party election. We want to say clearly, BNP does not support banning of any political party. If they [ruling Awami League] were democratic, they would counter political issues politically.”
Yes, legally it’s a sub-judice matter since the Jamaat lawyers the same day filed an appeal with the Appellate Division against the verdict. The chief defence counsel said: “The verdict does not mean Jamaat can’t take part in the elections since the issue is still sub-judice as Jamaat already filed an appeal.”
However, it’s a fact that Jamaat’s party charter had always been contradictory with the country’s constitution and the Election Commission rules, but allowed to move and play politics freely since 1979 during the rule of military dictator-turn-president Gen Ziaur Rahman who withdraw the ban on religion-based politics imposed on mid December 1971, only a week ahead of the independence of Bangladesh. Zia was the commander of nine defence sectors during the war, but his role after the war till taking office has always been questioned.
After Zia, it was another army dictator HM Ershad who sheltered and raised more Islamists under or with the banner of Jamaat as a tool of his power-game. Ershad amended the constitution to declare Islam as the State Religion – at a time when over 80% of the population is Muslim, though divided in classes but in the helm everywhere. It gave the Muslims, mainly those who do politics or power practice at mosques-madrasas and sermons, some supreme privilege. All the way, it had been beneficial for Jamaat which took part in polls, bagged seats in parliament, positioned own people in different sectors and has been continuously deterring the progress of Bangladesh as a rising nation with moderate philosophy.
The Awami League though speaks hard against Jamaat and BNP has always been hesitant about taking legal action against the fundamentalist-radical Islamist party. Jamaat in now way spread Islam that the people want. They’ve mixed political and personal agendas, mostly ill-motivated, with religion, whereas they did the same during the 1971 war.
Even though Jamaat has brought the 49th amendment to its party charter and submitted that to the election commission in December last year, the court considered the moment when the petition was filed, January 17, 2009. In the latest revision, Jamaat replaced their aim to establish an Islamic state through Islamic movement with democratic means.
I don’t believe Jamaat, neither do I can stand these bastards of Bangladesh, the worst traitors. I’ll fight until evil force is totally banished in Bangladesh.