Jamiat Ulama -e Islam quits 20-party pact

Jamiat Ulama-e Islam, a component of the BNP-led 20-party alliance, has quit the opposition platform citing various reasons, including "not evaluating alliance members properly".

On January 7, 2016, another component of the combine, Islami Oikya Jote, had parted with the platform.

Issuing a statement yesterday after an emergency meeting at the party's Purana Paltan office in the capital, Jamiat said it had formed an electoral alliance with different political parties, including BNP, under special circumstances.

"In its continuity, Jamiat took part in several national elections unitedly under the alliance. But it is very sad to say that the coalition partners have not been evaluated properly."

The party said BNP recently announced unilaterally without taking the opinion of the 20-patrty alliance components that it would not contest three by-elections.

Besides, the BNP secretary general recently said he does not believe in "Sharia law" which is not supported by Jamiat.

Jamiat also said BNP did not stage protests during the recent "nationwide oppression and arrest of Ulema".

The BNP also did not express sympathy following the death of Noor Hossain Kasemi, a top leader of Jamiat and the alliance. The BNP even did not participate in his namz-ejanaza, which caused anger among the Jamiat grassroots, the statement said.

"Therefore, Jamiat thinks that withdrawing support from the 20-party alliance is beneficial for the organisation," it added.

Jamiat vice presidents Ubaidullah Farooq and Abdul Basir, acting secretary general Bahauddin Zakaria, among others, were present at yesterday's meeting, with acting president Zia Uddin in the chair.

Sources at Jamiat told The Daily Star that the party was under pressure from the government to quit the 20-party alliance following the recent government crackdown on Hefajat-e Islam leaders, many of whom are from Jamiat. Quitting the alliance was set as a pre-condition by the government for the release of Jamiat leaders and activists.

Yesterday, Jamiat also demanded the government withdraw all cases filed against its leaders and activists following the countrywide violent protests over Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Bangladesh on March 25.

Meanwhile, BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan yesterday alleged that Jamiat was forced to quit the 20-party combine following its recent meeting with Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan.

Nazrul was talking to the media about the exit of Jamiat from the alliance.

After holding a meeting with the minister on July 5, top Hefajat leaders demanded the government release its "innocent" leaders and activists arrested across the country since March 25.

The government took a tough stance against Hefajat following its three-day violent activities from March 25 over Modi's trip to Bangladesh. The violence left at least 17 people dead and many injured.

Hefajat, a Qawmi madrasa-based platform of different Islamist organisations, has been under huge pressure from the government to restructure its central committee since the March violence, sources said.

At least 154 cases were filed against Hefajat men and around 1,230 people, including more than 50 top Hefajat leaders, were arrested following the violence, according to Police Headquarters data.

After the recent crackdown on Hefajat, some of its leaders started trying to reach an understanding with the government to avoiding "arrest and harassment".

Hefajat's previous central committee was disbanded on April 25.

On June 8, Hefajat General Secretay Nurul Islam Jihadi named a 33-member new central committee of the organisation, a 16-member advisory committee and another committee called Majlish-e-Sura comprising nine members.