Hasan Mahmud looks to Kamal Hossain for ‘final decision’ on BNP’s ties to Jamaat

Information Minister Hasan Mahmud has expressed his hope that Jatiya Oikya Front chief Kamal Hossain will take a ‘final decision’ if the BNP does not shun its ally Jamaat-e-Islami, the party that opposed the independence of Bangladesh.

He also thanked Kamal Hossain for admitting his ‘mistake’ of standing by Jamaat-e-Islami in the election.

Hasan Mahmud’s remarks came during a coordination meeting of the high-ups from the information ministry and other offices related to it at the Secretariat on Sunday.

“He has admitted that taking Jamaat-e-Islami along in their election journey was a mistake; in doing so, Kamal Hossain and his colleagues in Jatiya Oikya Front have admitted that they made mistakes in every step of their politics and also in their election contest,” he said.

Before the 11th national election, Kamal Hossain, president of Gono Forum, formed the Jatiya Oikya Front alliance with the BNP as its major ally. Candidates from the Oikya Front and the BNP’s old ally Jamaat-e-Islami had contested the election under the BNP’s paddy sheaf symbol.

Former Awami League leader Kamal Hossain had mentioned his ideological rift with the Jamaat-e-Islami when he created the alliance. But he avoided queries from journalists on sharing the same platform and symbol with the Jamaat-e-Islami in the election. He even scolded one journalist for asking about the matter.

In an interview prior to the election, Kamal Hossain told the Indian daily ‘Indian Express’ that he was ‘unaware’ of the fact that BNP had planned to field Jamaat candidates.

Two weeks after the election, he admitted his ‘mistake’ at a press briefing on Saturday. “I told you that I was unaware of it. They (BNP) said there will be 25 candidates from the Jamaat-e-Islami or so. I was not informed when I agreed. I think it was a mistake too.”

“I believe through this confession they will leave Jamaat-e-Islami and if the BNP does not leave Jamaat-e-Islami, I hope Kamal Hossain will take a final decision,” said Hasan Mahmud.

The information minister also said those eight Oikya Front candidates who had won the election made another ‘mistake’ by not joining parliament.

“I hope they will join parliament in order to uphold and continue our democratic journey.”