BNP Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas has delivered a fierce critique of Jamaat-e-Islami, asserting that the party behaves no differently from the ruling Awami League. Speaking on Wednesday (3 December) during the inauguration of a medical camp in Siddheshwari, Dhaka, he accused Jamaat of distorting religion, misguiding the public, and aligning itself with forces he described as politically and morally compromised.
In a striking remark aimed directly at Jamaat, Abbas said, “Let me be blunt: the Awami League is your medicine. You can only function alongside people like them. They are rude and uncivil, and so are you.” His statement sought to equate the political cultures of Jamaat-e-Islami and the Awami League, suggesting that both rely on confrontational and socially harmful methods.
He went on to denounce Jamaat as a group that misrepresents the teachings of Islam. “They distort religion. They believe in Maududi’s ideology, which is not true Islam. They are not guided by genuine Islamic principles,” he claimed. Abbas urged citizens to remain cautious and avoid being influenced by political groups that, in his words, misuse faith for their own interests.
Recalling the atrocities of 1971, Abbas drew parallels between historical actions and present political ambitions. “In the Liberation War, those who were known as Razakars and Al-Badr collaborators handed over the men and women of Bangladesh to the Pakistani forces. Today, those same individuals—or their ideological successors—are again asking for votes. What right do they have to speak for this nation? Is this the Bangladesh they stood for?” he asked.
Abbas insisted that those who opposed Bangladesh’s independence should not now expect to gain political legitimacy from the very citizens whose freedom they once sought to deny. “They never wanted this country, yet today they proudly demand votes. This is the biggest irony of our political landscape,” he said.
In criticising Jamaat, Abbas also sought to highlight what he described as similar behaviour within the Awami League. By placing both parties side by side, he suggested that their political cultures are built on confrontation, intolerance, and distortion rather than democratic principles. The BNP leader’s remarks reflect a broader strategy of attempting to position his own party as a principled alternative to what he called “uncivil and destructive politics”.
Towards the end of his speech, Abbas shifted his focus to the BNP’s internal concerns, urging supporters to pray for the health of Begum Khaleda Zia, the party’s ailing chairperson. “Keep her in your prayers. The nation needs her to recover,” he said, underscoring the emotional connection between the former prime minister and the BNP’s grassroots base.
Mirza Abbas’s comments come at a time of heightened political tension, with rival parties increasingly trading accusations as they prepare for future electoral contests. His speech, rich in criticism and historical references, serves as both a rallying cry for BNP supporters and a denunciation of what he views as the declining moral standards of Bangladesh’s political arena.