Shrugging off the allegation of government-Jamaat entente, Finance Minister AMA Muhith on Sunday feared that the Islamist might go underground if it is banned.
“It’s rubbish. We discussed yesterday. How could Jamaat have talks with us? Jamaat itself is spreading this, and BNP is with them. “They (Jamaat) are experts in killing,” he said as reporters wanted to know whether the government has had any entente with Jamaat.
Muhith was talking to the journalists after a meeting with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) managing board team at his secretariat office in the capital. ADB Executive Director Maliami Bin Hamad led the delegation. About the Jamaat’s ongoing hartal protesting the Supreme Court verdict on its leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee, the Finance Minister said, “For what they’ve called the hartal. They don’t believe in Bangladesh. It’s a bloody party.” Jamaat-e-Islami enforced the 24-hour countrywide hartal at 6am yesterday demanding the release of its leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee, jailed by the Supreme Court unto death for his crimes against humanity during the Liberation War in 1971.
About the outcomes of the meeting with ADB, the Finance Minister said since the investment is low, the ADB has raised the issue of giving emphasis on private sector as raising per capita income is not enough for becoming a middle-income country. Muhith also said, the present government will be there in power for five years and its aim during the period will be to ensure development and public welfare.
