IOJ chief takes a swipe at ruling party

With no minister being appointed from the Islami Oikya Jote in the Bangladesh Nationalist Party's (BNP) coalition government, a visibly frustrated IOJ chairman, Mufti Amini, took a swipe at the ruling party, yesterday, accusing it of using them as a weapon during the anti-Awami League movement.

"We had launched a movement against the Awami League government under the banner of a four-party alliance but now it has turned out to be a two-party government. I don't understand why they (BNP) don't communicate with us now," he said.

"During the movement, we used to talk every morning and evening, but now they don't recall us." he told the Gulf News.

At the time of the movement, Amini was the IOJ's general secretary but was recently made its chairman, ousting Shaikhul Hadith Allama Azizul Haq from the top post. In retaliation, Shaikhul Hadith, too, expelled Amini and some others from IOJ.

Clarifying his position, Amini said he was made chairman lawfully and there was no controversy over it. "Most respectable Alem (Islamic scholar) Allama Ahmed Shafi and others recommended us," said Amini.

Amini, who took to the streets in protest against U.S. air strikes on Afghanistan, alleged that the BNP and the Jamaat were not playing their role against U.S. attacks on innocent Afghan civilians.

He said the Awami League, various women's organisations, left parties and people from all walks of life were protesting against U.S. retaliatory attacks on a Muslim country, "but the BNP and the Jamaat are mysteriously silent over the issue".

To a query, he said he has no intention of going in for a movement against the BNP, "but we'll protest if anybody takes any steps against Islam".