Shawdesh desk;

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami is reorganising secretly to wage a movement simultaneously with other opposition political parties to press for the demand to hold the next general election under a polls-time neutral administration.

Although the party is a major component of the BNP-led 20-party alliance, it is likely to go for the separate movement in parallel with other parties instead of joining the agitation in alliance as part of the combine’s strategy.

“We’ve already taken a decision in principle that we’ll observe programmes to be announced to press home the demand for holding the election under an election-time neutral government,” Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Maulana Abdul Halim told the Daily Sun.

Asked whether they will go for simultaneous movement with other opposition parties or one in alliance, he said they will hold programmes taking into account what will bring them best outcome.

Abdul Halim claimed that their party is carrying out programmes in whatever way they can, though not on streets, as the government does not allow them to stage any programme.

During the BNP-led anti-government movement before the 2014 general election, Jamaat-Shibir men allegedly unleashed destructive activities across the country, leaving many people dead and many others injured. Law enforcers arrested many central and grassroots leaders and activists.

However, the Jamaat-Shibir men almost went into hiding following the crackdown and got involved in their own businesses instead of carrying out street programmes since then.

In the wake of tougher action taken against the Jamaat leaders and activists, the Islamist party and its student wing Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir carried out activities from behind the scene for its survival.

Jamaat insiders said the party is reorganising its different units, front and associate organisations, including Shibir, across the country to wage a movement against the government. They are holding party meetings secretly.

This time, the party is taking preparations both for election and a decisive movement to compel the government to hold the next parliamentary elections under a non-party election-time supportive administration.

Some Jamaat leaders think their party is seriously affected due to the failure in the previous movements waged by the BNP-led 20-party alliance in several phases to halt the January 5, 2014 polls and oust the Awami League government.

Violence flared up in different parts of the country, especially in Jamaat strongholds, as its activists remained active during the previous anti-government movements.

The Jamaat-Shibir men blamed BNP for their failure in the previous anti-government movements because they think the BNP activists were not so active on streets like them.

The BNP-led opposition alliance is again raising voice demanding that the next parliamentary elections be held under a non-party election-time government.

The opposition party has also announced that they would go for a simultaneous movement along with other opposition parties on the same issue.

BNP insiders said the party will not wage a movement this time in alliance in a bid to keep the Jamaat behind the scene.

The party sources said in this situation, Jamaat is reorganising again and preparing their leaders and activists for a tougher movement to press for the demand.

In view of the current situation, the organisational activities of the Islamist party are being carried out at the grassroots level applying different strategies as per the instructions given by the central command. Sometimes the decisions of the party are reaching everyone through personal talk. Sometimes the organisational talks are held using social media platform.

Although the registration of Jamaat was cancelled by the Election Commission, various institutions, including their offices, educational institutions and business establishments, were not closed. As a result, the financial support of Jamaat-Shibir continued in different parts of the country.         For making the anti-government movement a success, Jamaat may leave the 20-party alliance just before the general election and join the simultaneous movement at the signal of BNP.

Amid action of the law enforcers, Jamaat, the party of war criminals, keeps its activities limited to sending press releases and statements through email to mass media for long.

But the Islamist party has recently started taking to streets with various programmes at different places of the country and they want to increase their presence on streets gradually.

“We’re observing our programmes as per the demand of the situation and in different perspectives,” Jamaat leader Abdul Halim said.

The Jamaat-Shibir men are also bringing sudden processions on various issues at different places of the country.  In May this year, two policemen, including Sylhet Kotwali Police Station officer-in-charge, were injured after activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir attacked them in Sylhet city.