In what is being seen as the strongest minority outreach by Bangladesh's radical Islamists, Jamaat-E-Islami leader Shafiqur Rahman has appealed to Hindus to vote for the party in the upcoming elections. Addressing a rally in Khulna, Rahman said he wants a "safe Bangladesh for people of all religions".
The Jamaat chief was campaigning for Krishna Nandi, who is the party candidate for the Khulna-1 constituency in the 13th national election. In this Hindu-majority seat, the Jamaat has chosen Nandi, president of the Dumuria unit of the Jamaat's Hindu committee.
The Khulna-1 seat has a history of electing Hindu community candidates. Nandi is considered close to Mia Golam Porwar, Jmaat's Secretary-General, and has often shared the stage with her.
The Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami chief also made a pitch for reinvigorating industry in Khulna and ensuring equal opportunity for everyone without discriminating based on religion. "We will give everyone their due based on the principle of justice. We will not see which religion a deserving candidate believes in. We will only see whether he is fit for the job he is applying for or not. If the person is a deserving candidate, they will be given the post they deserve. It is clear now in whose hands the people, the land, and the wealth of this country are secure," he said.
"We have said this country does not belong to Muslims only. Yes, Muslims are in the majority here, but this is a flower garden of unity. There are people of three other religions who live here. We have become the chowkidaar of their respect and wealth of their lives. No one will be able to look at them with an evil gaze. No one will be able to target them. We expected that the political parties would appear responsible. But the sad thing is that not everyone has been able to show responsibility," Rahman added.
In what is being seen as a dig at the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Rahman said, "A new political culture will be established in Bangladesh by putting an end to the country's past 'dynasty-based' politics." He said that if Jamaat comes to power, dynastic politics will no longer exist in the country.
This election has become a fight between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by Tarique Rahman, and the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, who have been allies in the past. And both parties have promised protection of Hindus as the community continues to come under attack in the country.
The Jamaat has been blamed for taking Bangladesh down a path of hardline Islam and targeting religious minorities in the country. In this backdrop, the party, which had its ban overturned after Sheikh Hasina was ousted from power, has now emerged as the key challenger to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which remains the frontrunner in these elections.
The BNP has also promised a secular Bangladesh and is filling the vacuum left by the absence of the Awami League in the elections. The BNP was the main opposition party during the tenure of Sheikh Hasina, and the return of Tarique Rahman has invigorated the party cadre. The BNP has emerged as an alternative for Hindus in Bangladesh, with Tarique Rahman advocating a secular Bangladesh in several rallies across the country.
BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman said he wants to make a safe Bangladesh where people, irrespective of castes, creeds and faiths, can live in a peaceful environment.
"We have people from the hills and the plains in this country – Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians. We want to build a safe Bangladesh, where every woman, man and child can leave home safely and return safely," he said in his first speech since his return to the country.
Rahman's call for unity came as Jamaat-e-Islami, the BNP's coalition partner during its 2001-2006 tenure in power, emerged as its main rival in the upcoming polls after the interim government blocked Awami League's participation under the country's tough Anti-Terrorism Act.
In the recent past, the Bangladesh Jamaat-E-Islami has made overtures to Hindus as the party attempts an image makeover despite being a proponent of the imposition of Sharia Law and having advocated that Bangladesh be run according to Islamic law rather than being a secular country.
