Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami's Central Executive Council member and party's publicity and media Secretary Advocate Matiur Rahman Akanda has issued a statement on 12 February protesting a comment of BNP's joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi that he delivered at a memorial meeting in Bagmara Upazila of Rajshahi district as he termed Jamaat-e-Islami "hypocrites."

In the statement, Mr. Akanda said, while addressing the aforementioned meeting in Rajshahi, BNP Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi stated that 'We did not support Jamaat. They got the first opportunity to do politics in Bangladesh because of BNP's generosity. But this party has always been hypocritical. They have done nothing but hypocrisy.'

Such comments of Mr. Rizvi are objectionable, baseless and politically motivated. We condemn and protest his remarks.

In the statement, Matiur Rahman Akanda further said, it is not clear to us what Mr. Rizvi actually wants to achieve by uttering these words against Jamaat-e-Islami. At a time when the country is supposed to be taken forward unitedly in a fascism-free environment, his statement is anti-national and malicious. The countrymen feel that such statements are beyond courtesy and political etiquette.

He said, Jamaat-e-Islami does politics based on Islamic ideology. Jamaat-e-Islami has never been hypocritical with anyone. Jamaat is fighting uncompromisingly for the rights of the people of the country, the rule of law, justice, human rights and the right to vote. His statements have no basis.

Jamaat-e-Islami's politics are against Indian hegemony and fascism. The entire nation has accepted this role of Jamaat-e-Islami. And this is probably why Mr. Rizvi has become angry. We are urging the concerned quarters to be refrained from making such intentional and misleading comments against Jamaat-e-Islami.