Corruption, alleged links to militancy and campaigns about the ) role in genocide of 1971 led jp voters' humiliating rejection of * Jamaat's religion-based politics in the parliamentary polls, say x political analysts and civil society leaders.

I "The voters have rejected misuse of religion in politics J through their ballots," politicalanalyst Prof Imtiaz Ahmed told I The Daily Star. The people didn't like distortion of religion for I political gains, he added.

* Human rights activist and former adviser to caretaker gov-L eminent Sultana Kamal said, "This result is the reflection of I peoples' secular mind. They have proved again through ballots I that they don't like communalism, chauvinism and fascism." | Veteran freedom fighter and former army chief Lt Gen (retd) I M Harun-ur-Rashid believes the new generation rejected I Jamaat when they learned for the first time about the party's role r in 1971.

\ However, Jamaat's top leaders are sceptical about the factors I behind their election debacle. One top leader of the party declined to say anything and a defeated candidate ruled out the . possibilityofwarcrimeandmilitancyissuesbehindtheirdefeat. I Speaking anonymously, a Jamaat leader said the election I results came as huge frustration to the party with grassroots I leaders and workers enquiringabout the failure of the top brass. FROM PAGE 1

Insiders say Jamaat top leaders are already receiving harsh reaction from the grassroots leaders.

Jamaat bagged only two seats in the ninth parliamentary election, whereas they got 17 seats in 2001 elections contesting with the same BNP-led alliance.

"This is definitely unexpected for us," Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Barrister Abdur Razzak told The Daily Star las might.

"Without full analysis of the results I can't say anything about the factors behind it," he said. He claimed that there were many (laws in the election but did not elaborate.

Razzak however said "We th»k u is always betteMo run the country by an elected government."

Jamaat top leaders held several meetings in the last two days to evaluate the election results.

Asked whether the campaigns against Jamaat for its anti-liberation role and alleged war crimes played a vital role, Razzak said, "I would not make any comment on that"

He even refused to comment on Awami League's election pledge that they would try the war criminals if voted to power.

Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League has won a landslide victory with more than two-thirds majority in parliament Hasina yesterday in her first post-election reaction said the people have already tried them (war criminals] and her government must initiate the legal process.

It is historically known to all that many Jamaat leaders were actively involved with the genocide in the Liberation War.

"Of course the civil society campaigns about the 1971 genocide were an issue behind Jamaat's debacle. But Jamaat also could not make it clear to people whether they have any involvement in Islamist militancy or not," observed Prof Imtiaz.

"Jamaat also failed to differentiate themselves from the corruption charges against BNR their alliance government's chief partner," Proflmtiazsaid.

Gazi Nazrul Islam, a defeated candidate of Jamaat in Satkhira-4, told The Daily Star: "Corruption charges against BNP might have a little impact on our results as we had a snare of power."

But Nazrul who was elected in 2001 brushed aside war crime and militancy issues.

He also pinned the blame on high turnout and use of "black money" by the AL campaigners and on other irregularities.

"The turnout was unrealistic and I suspect something wrong was behind it," the defeated Jamaatcandidatesaid.

Sultana Kamal has meanwhile said: "The Liberation War became a significant issue to a large number of voters of new generation. The young generation was looking for high self-esteem to come out of a suffocative situation.

"So, a huge number of firsttime voters wanted to be a Croud citizen of the country anking on the Liberation War issues." shesaid.

Gen Harun, chief coordinator of Sector Commanders Forum, which campaigned against war criminals in last two years besides other organisation. said: "A great number of first-time voters were not allowed to learn the true history of tire Liberation War."

"So when the vigorous campaigns were launched against war criminals these new voters realised the real history and notorious role of Jamaat in die Liberation War. I believe this was devastating for Jamaat in this election "