Staff Correspondent 
Prime Minister’s Political Assistant Rashed Khan has criticised Jamaat-e-Islami for deciding not to hold a public rally in Gopalganj during its long march from Dhaka to Khulna, despite plans to organise rallies in various districts along the route.
In a post published on his verified Facebook account on Saturday (October 31), Rashed described the party’s decision as a sign of political immaturity.
In his post, Rashed Khan wrote that Jamaat-e-Islami was travelling from Dhaka to Khulna through a long march and planned to hold public rallies in every district along the way except Gopalganj. He also noted that the party had held a press conference to formally announce the decision.
He questioned how politically immature a party could be to hold a press conference over such an issue.
He further wrote that Jamaat leaders frequently claim in their speeches that they fear no one except Allah. Yet, out of fear of the people of Gopalganj, the party has decided not to hold any public rally there.
“Such is their faith, and such is their courage,” he remarked.
Questioning Jamaat’s political courage, Rashed wrote that with this very faith and courage, Sadik Kayem and others had supposedly prepared a plan to occupy Ganabhaban. He questioned why they could not prepare a plan to “occupy Gopalganj” and organise a “Long March to Gopalganj” instead.
He alleged that the Jamaat-led alliance did not want to get involved in any trouble and was unwilling to take risks. According to him, the party wants to become the opposition but fears that holding a rally in Gopalganj could be viewed as provocation.
He also referred to Jamaat leader Mia Golam Parwar’s appeal for prayers from the people of Gopalganj for the success of the long march.
Rashed Khan wrote that the public had expected Jamaat to demonstrate a more combative political stance. In his view, if the party had shown the audacity to march towards Gopalganj and even declare it independent, people would at least have believed that Sadik Kayem and others had genuinely prepared a plan to occupy Ganabhaban.
