Jamaat Ameer urges partymen to be patient, respectful

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman has urged his party members and supporters to have patience and show respect to others, in the wake of an escalating exchange of words between activists from Jamaat and Islami Andolan Bangladesh (IAB).

“If you show respect to others, Allah will increase your honour as well,” Dr Shafiqur wrote in a facebook post on Friday night.

Earlier, in a press conference, IAB Spokesperson Gazi Ataur Rahman alleged that Jamaat was deviating from its stated path and was forsaking the path of Islamic principles.

Jamaat was also breaching electoral agreements reached with other Islamic parties, Gazi Ataur alleged.

In this backdrop, Gazi announced that IAB has left the Jamaat-led election alliance, and would independently contest the 12 February elections.

Gazi’s displeasure was rooted in Jamaat’s electoral tie-up with NCP, a youth-led centrist party. Jamaat reached the electoral agreement on behalf of the largely pro-Islamic election alliance without prior consultation with alliance partners, IAB leaders previously alleged.

Jamaat has agreed to leave crucial constituencies for NCP candidates, denying IAB a chance in the parliamentary seats as an alliance partner, IAB leaders have alleged.