Hypocrisy their only trait: Rizvi on Jamaat

Jamaat-e-Islami's major problem is that they are hypocrites, BNP's Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said today (12 February) in severe criticism of the Islamist party.

"We did not support Jamaat. They got the opportunity to do politics in this country due to the benevolence of the BNP government," he also said while speaking at a memorial event remembering Shaheed Professor Abdul Wahed Mondol at the Taherpur High School Field of Bagmara upazila in Rajshahi.

"Sheikh Mujib's government had banned them. The BNP government first allowed them to do politics here," Rizvi added.

But, he continued, "We have always seen that this party has no other issues except only one trait—hypocrisy. This party has done nothing else other than hypocrisy."

Speaking on the occasion, Rizvi said Jamaat once waged a movement against the dictatorship of Hussein Muhammad Ershad but later switched alliances.

"We protested together against Ershad. Hasina was also there in the beginning. Then, without telling anyone, Hasina went to the elections under Ershad. Khaleda Zia did not participate in that election. However, Jamaat joined hands with Hasina," said Rizvi.

He also questioned Jamaat's actions following the July-August uprising that ousted the Awami League government last year.

"A few days after this student-mass movement, in which hundreds of thousands of youths like Abu Sayeed and Mughdha sacrificed their lives to oust a terrible monster like Sheikh Hasina from the country, Jamaat said, 'We will forgive Awami League for everything,'" Rizvi noted.

"How can you forgive [AL despite] the blood [sacrificed] by Abu Sayeed? How can you forgive [AL despite] the blood [sacrificed] by Mughdha? How can you forgive [AL despite] the blood [sacrificed] Ahnaf?" he questioned Jamaat.