IOJ quits BNP-led alliance [ Tritiyo Matra News ]

IOJ quits BNP-led alliance

Local January 08, 2016

A faction of Islami Oikya Jote on Thursday quit the BNP-led alliance for what it said ‘to be more attentive to the organisational activities’ and to carry out activities upholding its ‘originality’.
Another faction of IOJ announced they were still a part of the alliance.
The IOJ faction’s re-elected chairman Abdul Latif Nezami reading out the party’s charter announced that IOJ had no relations with ‘20 party’ (BNP-led alliance) saying the IOJ would be attentive to its organisational activities upholding its ‘uniqueness’.
He made the announcement at the end of the triennial national convention of IOJ at Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, in the capital Thursday afternoon.
The convention approved the charter, 14-point resolutions, 20-member advisory committee and 101-member executive committee with Abdul Latif Nezami as chairman and Faizullah as secretary general.
IOJ representatives from most of the districts attended the convention, it was informed.
A written message of Hefajat-e-Islam Ameer Ahmad Shafi was read out at the convention.
Reading out the charter, Nezami, who presided over the convention, announced that IOJ would contest in each constituency in future parliamentary elections.
He said IOJ feels it has become necessary to build up an organised and coordinated Islami force comprising of all Islami parties, organisations, Islamic scholars and Islamic-minded people by putting an end to various streams, sub-streams of the Islamic movement in Bangladesh and various theoretical debates, conflict and dispute.
He said although the general election of January 5, 2014 was constitutionally correct, it did not meet standards of morality, so immediate holding of an election, acceptable to all, is essential.
The IOJ placed a five-point demand, including recognition of Quomi Madrasha education, withdrawal of all false, baseless, politically motivated cases against Alem-Olama, enactment of law keeping provision of maximum punishment against those who hurt religious feelings through satire, disrespect and indecent remarks and canceling the directive on putting on veil optional.
When journalists asked whether they quit the alliance out of grievance with BNP or under government pressure, Nezami replied in the negative.
However, some IOJ central leaders while delivering their speeches at the convention criticised BNP for its present role.
IOJ vice-chairman Abul Hasanat Aminee, son of late IOJ chairman Fazlul Huq Aminee, said BNP was in power for five years standing on the blood of six martyrs of Brahmanbaria but did not do justice to the martyrs.
In an oblique reference to BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s recent comment, he said they did not need to know whether 30 lakh or one lakh people faced martyrdom in the War of Independence in 1971.
Another vice-chairman Jasim Uddin said BNP wants to go to power using others as a ladder.
Hours after the announcement, another faction of IOJ, led by M Abdur Rakib claiming to be its chairman, held a hurriedly called news briefing at Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan office around 4:30 pm and announced that IOJ was still a part of BNP-led alliance.
He said they would announce the names of the members of the executive committee as per constitution, within the next 15 days.
He said the national convention of IOJ would be held in Dhaka on March 31.
In reply to a question, Rakib said IOJ chairman Abdul Latif Nezami and secretary general Mohammad Faizullah automatically lost their posts by acting against the IOJ constitution.
In an immediate reaction to BNP vice-chairman, Abdullah Al Noman told New Age that there might be some connections that developed with the government and so they (IOJ) left the alliance, and it would not cause any harm to BNP.
Earlier in 2014, factions of National Peoples Party, National Democratic Party, Islamic Party, Muslim League and National Awami Party (Bhashani) had quit the BNP-led alliance.