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Download PDF For the first time since the present government assumed power, Jamaat-e-Islami finds itself in troubled waters following the Anti-Corruption Commission’s (ACC) approval of charges against its Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami along with 23 others in the Gatco case.
Its executive committee, the highest decision-making body, meets today to decide on how to respond to the latest developments, insiders told The Daily Star last night.
Jamaat leaders yesterday claimed that none of them including the two former ministers were ever involved in corruption.
They said the ACC charge sheet is part of the government plan for depoliticisation and barring some politicians from contesting the parliamentary polls.
Talking to The Daily Star, Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, senior assistant secretary general of Jamaat, said, “The approval of charge sheet against our ameer is certainly a big issue for us.”
He however declined to admit the organisation is facing any crisis for that.
Queried what they would do in the changed context, Kamaruzzaman said, “We will discuss the party’s plan of action at the executive council meeting today.”
Sources said the Jamaat leaders might also discuss appointment of an acting ameer to fill in for Nizami in the event of his arrest.
Kamaruzzaman said by okaying the charge sheet against their ameer, the ACC has in fact called into question sincerity of the ongoing anti-graft drive. It’s part of the government plan to bar some politicians from taking part in the election, he added.
Asked if they would participate in the dialogue with the government, he said the executive council would take a decision on the matter.
Secretary General of Jamaat and former minister Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed said the charge sheet against Nizami is nothing but harassment.
The ACC on May 8 approved the charge sheet against detained BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, her younger son Arafat Rahman Koko and 22 others for illegally awarding Gatco the container handling work at inland container depots in Dhaka and Chittagong.
Earlier on February 26, the anti-graft body filed a case against Khaleda Zia and 15 others including two top Jamaat leaders–Nizami and Mojaheed–for graft in awarding Barapukuria coal mine operation contract to a Chinese company.
Jamaat that worked against the nation’s War of Independence in 1971 has been under pressure of late because of a growing public clamour for trial of the war criminals and their disqualification from elections.
May 11th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
No one doubt Amir Motiur Rahaman is a n honest person. He must have agreed with Khaleda Zia
on all issues frankly & therefore He must have been made a scape goat.
Thank you