Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar yesterday responded to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s description of Jamaat and Shibir as “covert”, reminding the BNP of its political cooperation with Jamaat since 1991.
Speaking at a rally at the North Gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, Porwar referred to the BNP’s “efforts to secure Jamaat’s support to form the government in 1991” and asked, “Didn’t you remember then that they were ‘clandestine’?”
He said BNP and Jamaat had also been together in street movements under the four-party, 18-party and 20-party alliances.
“Khaleda Zia announced the programmes, and Shibir and Jamaat joined the streets and made sacrifices,” Porwar said.
Speaking at the rally protesting the arrest of former lawmaker Maj (retd) Akhtaruzzaman, he demanded the withdrawal of the case against him, cancellation of his remand and his immediate release.
Porwar said Akhtaruzzaman had neither assaulted nor harassed anyone while protesting mismanagement at the airport.
“As a senior citizen and passenger, he had the right to demand an explanation and protest against the mismanagement.”
