Jamaat reacts to president’s remarks

Staff Reporter :

Shafiqur Rahman, Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, has publicly questioned recent remarks made by President Mohammed Shahabuddin regarding the political developments of August 5, 2024.

In a statement posted on his verified Facebook page on Tuesday, Shafiqur alleged that the President had “concealed many matters” about the events of that day, particularly concerning the resignation of the ousted and fugitive prime minister.

The Jamaat leader claimed that the version of events the President had communicated to political leaders at the time, as well as what he later addressed to the nation, did not align with his recent comments.

“What he is saying now, he did not say any of it that day,” Shafiqur Rahman wrote, raising questions about the consistency of the President’s statements.

He further asked whether the head of state would reconcile “what millions of people heard that day, what he said then, and what he is saying now,” suggesting that the discrepancies warranted clarification.

“The nation is not naive. Such conduct from the highest office of the state is unacceptable,” he added.

The reaction follows an interview President Shahabuddin gave to Bangladeshi daily Kaler Kantho at Bangabhaban on Friday night, February 20.

In the interview, the President discussed various issues surrounding the interim government period and expressed grievances over political pressures he said he had faced.

According to the interview, the President stated that there had been attempts to remove him from office during that period, but those efforts did not succeed because the BNP and the army did not support the move.

Shafiqur Rahman’s statement marks one of the strongest reactions so far from a major political party leader in response to the President’s latest remarks.

The controversy adds a fresh dimension to the ongoing debate over the political transition that followed the dramatic developments of August 5 last year.