Jamaat protests Rizvi’s remarks linking party to train arson

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has protested against remarks by BNP Acting Secretary General and Political Adviser to the Prime Minister Ruhul Kabir Rizvi linking the party to a recent train arson incident, describing the allegation as “baseless” and politically motivated.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Jamaat Assistant Secretary General and Secretary of its Central Publicity and Media Department Advocate Ahsanul Mahbub Zubair said blaming Jamaat for the incident without an investigation or credible evidence was irresponsible.

He called for an impartial investigation to identify those responsible for the arson, saying no political party should be held responsible for a criminal act without evidence.

Zubair said Rizvi had himself demanded that those responsible for bus arson, bomb attacks and vandalism be identified. The same principle, he said, should be followed in investigating the train arson incident.
“Anyone involved in such crimes should be brought to justice through an impartial investigation, irrespective of political affiliation,” he said.

The Jamaat leader said his party did not believe in “terrorism, arson, bomb attacks, anarchy or destruction of public property.”