Dhaka: Prime Minister’s Political Assistant Rashed Khan announced on Tuesday that the opposition party Jamaat-e-Islami is witnessing its own downfall due to internal divisions within its alliance. Khan made these remarks while speaking at a discussion titled “Unity, Not Division, for Building a Just and Discrimination-Free Society” held at the National Press Club.

According to United News of Bangladesh, Rashed Khan questioned the credibility and stability of the Jamaat-led electoral alliance. He noted that despite claims of being an 11-party alliance, it has dwindled to a nine-party coalition. He criticized Jamaat’s inability to maintain cohesion within the alliance, suggesting it as evidence of their decline.

The event, organized by the group Amra Bangladeshi, featured Water Resources Minister Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anny as the chief guest. Rashed Khan also criticized Jamaat-e-Islami for its historical stance against Bangladesh’s independence and questioned its capacity to safeguard the country’s sovereignty, given its past opposition to Bangladesh’s existence.

Rashed addressed Jamaat’s ambitions to dislodge the BNP-led government, advising them to focus on resolving their internal issues first. He argued that Jamaat’s past performance in parliament has already demonstrated the party’s incapacity to govern effectively.

Without naming individuals, Rashed alleged inappropriate conduct by some opposition lawmakers, including involvement in serious misconduct, and questioned the party’s fitness to govern. He asserted that the safety and sovereignty of Bangladesh could not be entrusted to such leaders.

Rashed Khan emphasized that the BNP believes in unity, in contrast to Jamaat, and expressed respect for Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus. However, he criticized Yunus for allegedly advocating a political strategy aimed at excluding the BNP.

Rashed concluded by criticizing Jamaat’s reluctance to support elections in February, accusing them of attempting to install the National Citizen Party in power instead. He dismissed threats of another uprising by the opposition as unrealistic.