The Jamaat's statement on patriotism is being called "absurd" or "preposterous"

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi yesterday indirectly referenced a recent statement by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami regarding patriotism, calling it "ridiculous." On December 23, during an event in Rangpur, Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman claimed that the only two proven patriotic forces in the country were the army and Jamaat-e-Islami. Rizvi acknowledged the army’s patriotism, citing its crucial role in the 1971 Liberation War and the 2024 July uprising.

However, Rizvi questioned the role of the "Islamist party" during the Liberation War, asking, "I want to know what role the Islamist party played in 1971. In which sector did you fight, and under which sector commander? To claim to be the only patriotic party is laughable."

He made these comments yesterday while speaking at an event at Humayun Rashid Chattar in Sylhet city.

Rizvi also criticized the government for failing to deliver justice for BNP leaders and activists who were killed or went missing. He emphasized BNP's 15-and-a-half-year struggle for democracy and questioned the interim government's commitment to ensuring justice for victims of political repression.

On the recent changes to school textbooks, Rizvi praised the inclusion of chapters on leaders like Sher-e-Bangla AK Fazlul Haque, Maulana Bhashani, and Hossain Shaheed Suhrawardy but expressed disappointment that a dedicated chapter on the Liberation War was omitted. "It is crucial to have a complete history of our struggle for freedom," Rizvi stated, urging the government to properly document the legacy of the Liberation War in school books.