Angry Jamaat questions rationale of Yunus-Tarique meeting briefing

Jamaat-e-Islami has expressed concerns about the impartiality of the interim government over next elections following a joint press briefing on the recent meeting between Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting chairman Tarique Rahman in London.

The party claims the briefing has raised doubts about electoral neutrality ahead of the upcoming national parliamentary elections.

The Islamist party raised the concerns in a statement issued after a meeting of its Central Executive Council, chaired by its amir Dr Shafiqur Rahman, at the party’s central office on Saturday morning. According to the statement, the joint briefing abroad with a single political party deviates from Bangladesh’s political norms and suggests favouritism toward the BNP.

“The chief adviser’s decision to issue a joint statement with one party while abroad undermines neutrality,” the statement read. 

“A more balanced approach would have been to consult all political parties upon returning to Bangladesh and then clarify his position,” it added.

Jamaat argued that such actions have fuelled public scepticism about whether the next elections will be free, fair, and inclusive. 

To illustrate diplomatic restraint, the party referenced its own meeting with a foreign mission on April 16, where it presented its views to journalists but refrained from issuing a joint statement or holding a press briefing.

The statement emphasised that decisions about critical issues like national elections should involve consultations with all active political parties in Bangladesh, not just one. 

Jamaat urged the interim government to ensure a level playing field and implement judicial and electoral reforms to guarantee a transparent and participatory election process.

The Central Executive Council demanded a clear explanation from Professor Yunus to address public concerns about the government’s impartiality. 

“We hope the interim government will take appropriate steps to dispel doubts and uphold electoral fairness,” the statement concluded.