Khalilur, Rizwana involved in manipulating polls, alleges Jamaat

Jamaat-e-Islami’s deputy chief Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher has accused Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman and former advisor Syeda Rizwana Hasan of playing direct roles in “manipulating polls”.

On Thursday, Taher alleged that Khalilur Rahman, then security chief of the interim administration, planned a special meeting in London to bring the Bangladesh Nationalist Party to power.

“As part of that plan, he is believed to have orchestrated election engineering from within the interim government,” the opposition leader said at a press conference at the party office.

“His reward was a cabinet position in the BNP government. Bringing him to justice and questioning him will reveal the truth.”

Taher highlighted Jamaat’s formal complaints linked to voting in 53 constituencies during the Feb 12 elections, which resulted in the BNP securing an outright majority.

On Rizwana’s recent television remarks, Taher said: “She acknowledged that those unable to secure women’s rights were not allowed to rise as mainstream powers, even within opposition ranks. This indicates her tacit admission of election engineering.”

Taher demanded accountability from the former advisors and the BNP government, asking who else was involved in the alleged manipulation.

He added: “It is clear from their statements that both were complicit. We demand they be swiftly questioned and brought to justice.”

Addressing other concerns, Taher noted declining law and order, including child murders and politically motivated attacks, with police often delaying action or refusing to file cases.