Jamaat wants Rizwana, Khalilur quizzed
Staff Reporter :
The Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami on Thursday called for legal action and interrogation of former interim government adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan and current Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman over allegations that they influenced the process of the 13th National Parliamentary Elections.
The demand was made at a press conference at the party’s central office in Moghbazar, where Jamaat leaders accused the two of being involved in what they described as “election engineering” aimed at preventing the party from emerging as a major political force.
Addressing the briefing, Jamaat Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher alleged that the two former advisers had engaged in what he called “election engineering” aimed at preventing the party from emerging as a major political force.
Referring to remarks recently made by Rizwana Hasan in a media interaction, Taher claimed
that her comments suggested that certain political forces were deliberately prevented from becoming dominant after the election.
“From her own statement it appears that the election engineering that has been discussed was in fact carried out,” he said.
Taher questioned how Jamaat had been prevented from securing a majority and who else might have been involved in the alleged effort.
He also asked whether the entire government or only a section of it had influenced the election by appointing officials such as deputy commissioners, superintendents of police, upazila nirbahi officers, officers-in-charge and presiding officers in line with what he described as a predetermined design.
“I urge the government to bring Rizwana Hasan under interrogation and reveal what situation she created and who were involved. The nation deserves to know the truth,” he said.
Taher also levelled allegations against Khalilur Rahman, saying he had violated the interim government’s earlier commitment that its advisers would not subsequently join a partisan administration.
He noted that Khalilur Rahman later took oath as foreign minister despite previously serving as the government’s security adviser.
Describing him as the “architect of a London conspiracy,” the Jamaat leader alleged that Khalilur Rahman had worked to benefit the current government and was later rewarded with the foreign minister’s post.
Taher further referred to earlier remarks by Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, who had previously criticised Khalilur Rahman and called for his removal from the interim administration, expressing surprise that he was later appointed foreign minister.
He also claimed that details of what he described as conspiracies to ensure the victory of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party should be made public, adding that Jamaat had sought a fair election but that the nation had been deprived of it.
Reiterating the party’s position, Taher said Khalilur Rahman should be interrogated to clarify the allegations and ensure transparency about the election process.
