Khilafat quits Jamaat alliance

Khilafat Majlis has decided to withdraw from Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party alliance, saying the alliance was formed primarily as an electoral arrangement and that its relevance ended after the February 12 election.

The decision was taken at the third general session of the party’s central Majlis-e-Shura, held at the Diploma Engineers Institute auditorium in the capital on Saturday.

Khilafat Majlis Publicity Secretary Engr Abdul Hafiz Khasru confirmed the decision in a statement, saying the party would no longer participate in any programme of the alliance.

“From now on, Khilafat Majlis will abstain from all programmes of the 11-party alliance. However, if there is a need to build broader unity in the future, the matter will be considered,” he said.

The statement said the alliance had been formed mainly as an electoral arrangement and that its relevance had effectively ended with the conclusion of the election process.

“Nevertheless, Khilafat Majlis participated in some programmes of the 11-party alliance even after the election. From now on, the party has decided to abstain from all programmes of the alliance,” the statement added.

It further said the party would continue efforts to build broader unity if necessary for the “country, nation and Islam”.

The decision was taken at the session chaired by Khilafat Majlis Ameer Maulana Abdul Basit Azad and conducted by Secretary General Dr Ahmed Abdul Kader.

Nayeb-e-Ameer Maulana Sakhawat Hossain, Maulana Ahmed Ali Qasemi, Professor Abdullah Farid, Professor Sirajul Haque, Maulana Syed Ferdous Bin Ishaq, Mufti Abdul Hamid, Joint Secretary General Advocate Jahangir Hossain, Muhammad Muntasir Ali, ABM Sirajul Mamun, Dr Mostafizur Rahman Faisal, Professor Md Abdul Jalil, Organising Secretary Advocate Mizanur Rahman, and Mufti Abul Hasan MP, along with members of the Central Executive Council and the Central Majlis-e-Shura were present at the Shura.

Earlier, on June 13, following the 11-party alliance's divisional rally in Chattogram, Khilafat Majlis informed the alliance that the party's name and the names of its leaders should not be used in banners or campaign materials for future programmes.

Party sources said the decision followed the party's objection to the use of its name at a rally in Rangpur, after which the reference was withdrawn.

Since then, the name of Khilafat Majlis has not been used in any programme organised by the alliance, according to party sources.