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Opposition parties think it is eyewash

Staff Correspondent
Mainstream opposition parties believe the government ban on two Islamist militant outfits is nothing but eyewash and it will not bring any change in the situation as the problem of extremism lies within the ruling alliance itself.
The ruling BNP's coalition partners Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh and Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ) are linked with the militant groups and using state mechanism to accelerate religious extremism across the country, they alleged.
Talking to The Daily Star, top leaders of Awami League (AL), CPB, JSD and Workers Party of
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Bangladesh yesterday said the politics of Jamaat and IOJ must be banned to smother the extremism spreading fast at the grassroots level.
They said the government has banned the Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB) and Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) only to 'show the donors' and the decision was taken on the eve of a high-profile donor meeting in Washington.
Demanding a ban on the politics of Jamaat and IOJ, the mainstream opposition parties are now planning to intensify street agitation and campaign through diplomatic channels, highly placed sources in the opposition camp said.
"We'll put pressures on the government to expel Jamaat leaders from the cabinet and exclude the Islamist parties from the alliance," said a senior AL leader. "Then we'll ask for a ban on their politics based on religious extremism and terrorism."
Terming the ban on JMJB and JMB an eyewash, AL Presidium Member Suranjit Sengupta said: "Whatever is taking place in the country in the name of Islamist militancy, is of the Jamaat, by the Jamaat, and for the Jamaat."
A leader of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) said the government never paid any heed to the opposition's long-drawn demand for taking actions against growing religious fundamentalism and extremism.
He said the government has recognised the demand and the existence of extremist groups in the country through banning the two organisations at the pressures from outside.
Sources said the opposition camp will capitalise the changed situation and make it the focal point of their antigovernment movement. "We'll declare our next agitation programme from the grand rally in Dhaka on March 2," Suranjit told The Daily Star.
CPB General Secretary Mujahidul Islam Selim however expressed doubt about the government's sincerity to eliminate extremists. He said, "If the government is sincere then it should expel the war criminals and Jamaat leaders from the cabinet first."
"We will force the government to stop religious and fundamentalist politics through united movement," Selim told The Daily Star.
The CPB leader alleged that Jamaat has link with the extremist groups operating in different
names. These groups are working under the guidance of Jamaat to build a wide network for the so-called Islamic revolution in the country.
Rashed Khan Menon, president of the Workers Party of Bangladesh, said the extremist groups under the patronage of BNP and Jamaat are trying to turn Bangladesh into a failed state. "Out movement against fundamentalism will continue," he said.
AL leader Saber Hossain Chowdhury said, "We think only a ban would not improve the situation as the government's major partners are involved in it."
"The government is trying to distance itself from the growing extremism and fanaticism that it has knowingly cultivated, patronised and nurtured," he added.
Referring to the home ministry press note, the AL leader said, "The government has carefully omitted the issue of political terrorism in the country and wanted to establish that the rise of extremist groups is a social problem."
Hasanul Haq Inu, president of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), also accused Jamaat and the IOJ of controlling the activities of the militant groups. He said if actions are not taken against the parties, situation would not improve.
"We, the opposition parties, are now chalking out strategies for out next course of movement," he told The Daily Star.
A senior AL leader said the party will hold a press conference within a couple of days where its leaders will disclose party position and demands for imposing a ban on Jamaat's politics.