Jamaat should apologise: BNP

Bangladesh Nationalist Party standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan on Wednesday said that the Jamaat-e-Islami should apologise to the nation for opposing the country’s War of Independence in 1971. 
After placing wreaths and offering fateha at BNP founder late president Ziaur Rahman’s grave side along with BNP weaver wing Jatiyatabadi Tati Dal leaders marking its 39th founding anniversary, he also told reporters that Jamaat never informed BNP that they decided to quit the BNP-led alliance.
As the reporters asked for his comments on demand rose inside Jamaat for apologising to the nation, Nazrul replied that it was the demand of all.
He said that BNP definitely demanded trial and punishment of those who committed crimes during the War of Independence.
He, however, said that those who had killed democracy in Bangladesh were yet to apologise to the nation.
BNP thinks that anyone who has committed any crime should apologise and if BNP does any wrong, it should also apologise, but that culture is absent in Bangladesh, he said.
Asked about Jamaat’s reported efforts to re-emerge through forming a new organisation abolishing the party, the BNP leader declined to comment, saying that it was Jamaat’s internal matter.
Asked about media reports that Jamaat wants to quit the BNP-led alliance, Nazrul, also the alliance coordinator, said as far he knew no change took place in the alliance.
Earlier, at about 10:00am, as Tati Dal leaders and activists started to gather at Zia’s graveside, law enforcers asked them to leave the place saying that there was no permission for the programme.
The leaders took position outside the premises of Zia’s grave for about an hour. Later, police allowed them to enter the premises as they showed a copy of letter given to Dhaka Metropolitan Police authority informing about the programme.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net