Rashed Khan Challenges Jamaat to Hold Public Rally in Gopalganj

PNN News Desk | Dhaka

Rashed Khan, Political Assistant to the Prime Minister, has challenged Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami to hold a public rally in Gopalganj to demonstrate its moral position. He alleged that Jamaat was unwilling to organise a rally in the district out of fear of the Awami League and said such an approach was unacceptable.

After Friday prayers on Friday (October 30), Rashed Khan exchanged greetings with local residents at the Jhinidah Old Deputy Commissioner's Court Mosque. He made the remarks while speaking to journalists afterwards.

Rashed Khan said Jamaat-e-Islami would travel from Dhaka through Gopalganj to enter Khulna as part of its long march. The programme would then proceed through Jashore and Jhenaidah before concluding in Kushtia. However, he claimed that the party had no plans to hold a public rally in Gopalganj.

Criticising the party's decision, he said avoiding a rally in Gopalganj out of fear of the Awami League could not be considered acceptable. He called on Jamaat leaders to organise a public gathering there and put their moral position to the test.

The Prime Minister's political assistant also alleged that Jamaat-e-Islami was attempting to establish contact and reach an understanding with India with the aim of coming to power.

Rashed Khan said the Awami League had previously appeased India to remain in power. According to him, Jamaat was now following the same path. He further claimed that senior leaders of the party were holding secret meetings with officials of Indian intelligence agencies.

Challenging Jamaat to accept his challenge if it denied the allegations of such meetings, Rashed Khan said, "You speak against India throughout the day, but at night you hold meetings with their intelligence officials. This can never be considered anti-hegemony politics."

He also mocked Jamaat-e-Islami over the results of the Thakurgaon by-election. According to him, the election had demonstrated that people were now aware of the party's claims about offering a 'ticket to heaven'.

He claimed that voters in Thakurgaon had rejected what he described as the party's misleading campaign.

Among those present during the interaction were District BNP President M.A. Majid, General Secretary Zahiduzzaman Mona, District Chhatra Dal General Secretary Shahriar Russell, former convener of Islami University Chhatra Dal Sahed Ahmed, and leaders and activists of the BNP and its affiliated and associate organisations.