The ruling party Awami League is reportedly trying to split the BNP-led alliance.
An adviser of the Prime Minister held a meeting with leaders of Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ), a partner of the BNP-led 19-party alliance, in the city on Sunday. The adviser already placed different offers to the party, even a post of state minister, sources claimed.
When asked, IOJ chairman Maulana Abdul Latif Nejami denied the report of any meeting. He, however, said that the present government is advancing with the strategy of ‘divide and rule’ and as part of the strategy, the IOJ and some other parties are now under pressure to leave the 19-party alliance. Just a day after the reported meeting, police on Monday picked up Abdul Latif Nejami. He was however released later. The IOJ chairman told The New Nation that he did not know the reason behind the arrest or the release. He said that he has already been implicated in a number of cases. He believes that the arrest is nothing but a conspiracy of the government against the IOJ. An IOJ leader said that the ruling party is now giving priority to break the 19-party alliance, as only two religion-based parties– Bangladesh Tarikat Federation and Bangladesh Islamic Front– out of 11 registered religion-based parties took part in the Januray-5 election. So the ruling party is now trying to get the support of broader Islamic parties, he added.
