Responding to BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s remarks that Jamaat-e-Islami should apologise before seeking votes, Jamaat’s Thakurgaon-1 candidate and the organisation’s Dhaka Metropolitan South unit Assistant Secretary General Delawar Hosen said they have nothing to apologise for.

“I want to state clearly that you went to power twice, but not even once could you do so [assuming power] on your own strength. Both times, you ascended to power with the support, assistance and cooperation of Jamaat-e-Islami -- you could not do it alone,” he said.

Delawar made the remarks this afternoon at an election rally at Khochabari High School ground in Jagannathpur union of Thakurgaon Sadar upazila.

He further said, “When Jamaat-e-Islami stood by you [BNP], was Jamaat then not branded 'razakar'? Today, because Jamaat is no longer with you, Jamaat has become 'razakar’... this is your politics.”

He also said that instead of asking Jamaat to apologise, BNP leaders should seek votes by apologising to the people for extortion, land grabbing and tender manipulation over the past year.

“Otherwise, the people will not forgive you,” he added.

Delawar further said members of the Hindu community present at the rally were living proof of how extortion had been carried out against them in silence.

He alleged that homes of Hindus were targeted at night, valuables were stolen and looted, and they were subjected to oppression and intimidation.

Calling on voters ahead of the February 12 election, the Jamaat leader urged them to register their protest through what he termed a “silent ballot revolution.”

Delawar further said the previous government kept invoking the term “razakar” and repeatedly framed politics around the Liberation War to such an extent that it ultimately contributed to its downfall.

He said those who are again repeating the term “razakar” ahead of the election are trying to mislead the people.