Fakhrul slams Jamaat, ‘Ticket to heaven for votes? Show Us!’

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has questioned what he described as Jamaat-e-Islami’s claims of offering “tickets to heaven” in exchange for votes, challenging the party to substantiate such statements.

“If you say people will get a ticket to heaven by voting for Jamaat, then tell us where that ticket is. Show it to us,” he said, speaking as chief guest at a discussion at the Multipurpose Hall of the Institution of Diploma Engineers in Kakrail on Saturday afternoon.

Fakhrul said Islam does not support the use of religion for political benefit. “I am raising these issues because they have become a problem. Everyone is talking about them. These matters need to be brought before the people,” he added.

The BNP leader made these remarks at a discussion titled ‘The Role of Mosque-Based Children and Mass Education Caretakers in Developing Morality and Religious Values in Nation-Building’, organised by the Mosque-based Non-Formal Teacher Programme (Moushik) Caretaker Kalyan Parishad.

Indirectly referring to Jamaat, Fakhrul said the party had struggled to gain political ground until former president Ziaur Rahman brought them into mainstream politics. 

“They first appeared under the banner of the Islamic Democratic League (IDL). After that, they worked with the BNP and we also worked with them. But in the past decade, we have seen no visible efforts from them to resist fascist Hasina,” he said.

He also alleged that Jamaat activists infiltrated the Chhatra League. “We cannot act in disguise; we have always fought face to face. Six million of our people have false cases against them, 20,000 have been killed, and around 1,700 – including our leaders and MPs – have disappeared. We are facing hundreds of cases,” Fakhrul said.

He noted that Khaleda Zia has been in jail for six years, while acting BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman remains unable to return home. “People have sacrificed their lives. A new opportunity has emerged because of these sacrifices. We must now unite to ensure a fair, acceptable election and establish a democratic government,” he said.

Referring to parties demanding proportional representation (PR), Fakhrul said their tone had “softened” despite earlier insisting there would be no election without PR. “Now we see a rush to join the election. This is not the right approach. People must be guided correctly,” he said.

He criticised the Awami League government for allegedly dictating mosque sermon content and noted that some religious scholars had even conferred the title ‘Qawmi Janani’ on Sheikh Hasina. He added that political appointments had undermined institutions, including the Islamic Foundation. “If party loyalists – who talk about Islam outwardly but do not practise it – are appointed, such institutions cannot function properly,” he said.

Commenting on the proposed referendum and the PR system, Fakhrul said ordinary people were unfamiliar with these methods. “The people of Bangladesh understand one person, one vote. Now you want a referendum with four questions on a single ballot. People will not understand this, even on the last day,” he said.