Jamaat-e-Islami returns to consensus meeting as Yunus promises 'neutrality'

The Jamaat-e-Islami has returned to the National Consensus Commission’s meeting as Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus made a phone call to its chief and “promised that he would remain neutral”, the party’s senior leader Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher has said.

No Jamaat member participated in Tuesday’s meeting called by the Consensus Commission. Later, the party said that it had “boycotted” the event.

Jamaat believes the joint declaration issued following the Jun 3 meeting in London between the chief advisor and the BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman was “inappropriate”.

The party’s Assistant Secretary General AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad told bdnews24.com on Tuesday that the party had boycotted the session in protest.

Speaking to the media during the lunch break of the second day of talks between political parties and the commission on Wednesday, Taher expressed his disappointment as the reason behind the party’s absence could not be identified in 24 hours.

He said, “We issued a statement raising questions and objections regarding certain aspects of the chief advisor’s London trip. He went there to receive an award, to bring back stolen money, and held a meeting with the acting BNP chairman. We welcomed that meeting.

“We also have no major objection to what he said about the election date. Because we proposed that the election be held sometime between December and April 2026. So, if it is held in December, that still falls within our proposed timeframe. Even the currently proposed date in February is part of our suggestion. We have no objection there either."

Explaining the reason for Jamaat not attending the Consensus Commission’s meeting, Taher said: “Our concern is with the speech he (Yunus) delivered to the nation, where he announced a timeframe. The deadline can change through discussion. Since BNP is a big party, it is possible to change the date through dialogue with them. We have no objection to that either.

"We object that he made that speech on television. After returning to Bangladesh, he could have revised it. But he did not."

Jamaat's Nayeb-e-Ameer continued, "We were shocked to see that he issued a joint statement with one party. We don’t know if there’s any precedent for that in the world. If this becomes a culture, it would mean issuing a joint statement with every party he talks to.

"We consider this unprecedented -- not just Jamaat-e-Islami, but all parties felt embarrassed.”

He noted that the Consensus Commission will be unable to “make progress significantly” as the party leaders have come to believe that the chief advisor has lost his neutrality.

"This (commission) will turn into a situation akin to 'a mountain giving birth to a mouse' -- the process will lose effectiveness. That is why we did not attend [on Monday], as a symbolic protest."

Taher said Jamaat had decided to return to the dialogue following the phone call made by the chief advisor to Jammat chief [on Tuesday] afternoon.

He said, “We presented our views during the call, and he understood. He assured us that his government would maintain a neutral stance -- there would be no leaning toward any particular party or group.”

The Jamaat leader also noted that if the government does not take a firm stand to ensure a free and fair election, then another “autocratic” election will be unable to save Bangladesh.

He said they have no objection to allocating 100 seats in the parliament for women, but it must be through proportional representation.

“Unless that issue is resolved first, it will be difficult to give any opinion on the matter,” he added.