Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Assistant Secretary General Hamidur Rahman Azad has said that Jamaat is not a pressure group but a political organisation that represents the people’s opinions and aspirations through its presence on the streets.

We can accept differences of opinion, but we do not want division,” he said while speaking at a seminar titled ‘Use of Technology in Election Manifestos’ held at a hotel in the capital on Saturday.

Hamidur Rahman said Jamaat is preparing with the expectation that the national election will be held in February. “The people’s aspiration now is to build a beautiful and reformed Bangladesh. Politics must move forward through reform to achieve that goal,” he added.

He mentioned that some “notes of dissent” were recorded while signing the charter, but the implementation process is separate from the charter itself. “Once the implementation phase began, differences of opinion emerged.” 

Commenting on the issue of referendum timing, he alleged that the Election Commission has created complications. “If the referendum coincides with the national election, it may lead to various problems,” he warned, adding that the national election primarily focuses on winning, and any delay in voting might push the charter into uncertainty.

Are we once again trapping the charter in uncertainty as in fascist times?” Hamidur Rahman asked. “If the referendum is held earlier, it will serve as the real acid test for the administration and the Election Commission. Then, people will be able to approach the national election with confidence.”

The Jamaat leader said public trust had been eroded in the past and now must be restored. “About Tk 27 lakh crore has been siphoned abroad, so spending one or two thousand crore taka on a referendum for public interest cannot be considered wasteful,” he argued.

Regarding the party’s relationship with the BNP, Hamidur Rahman said, “BNP did not respond to Jamaat’s call for talks. We also do not want politics to return to fascist culture. However, if BNP invites, we are ready for dialogue.”

He pointed out that Jamaat remains engaged both in dialogue and on the streets. “Staying active in the streets reflects democratic culture and political beauty. We are not heading towards violence; we are participating through a democratic process.” 

About the aspirations of the young generation, Hamidur Rahman said, “The framework of the three alliances of the 1990s was never implemented. Change is inevitable. We have understood what the youth want — we must open the doors of the future for them.”