Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has criticized Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, stating that the party has never engaged in politics for the state or the public interest, but has consistently prioritized narrow partisan agendas. He noted that from the 1971 Liberation War to the 1986 elections and the political shifts of 2024, the party has repeatedly pursued its own organizational goals over national unity at critical historical junctures.
Rizvi made these remarks as the chief guest during the final round and prize distribution ceremony of the Komal Kuri Debate Competition, organized by the ‘Zia Smriti Pathagar’ at the Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) auditorium of Dhaka University on Saturday morning (October 10, 2026).
Key political observations and policy statements made by the senior BNP leader include:
National Interest vs. Partisan Gain: Rizvi asserted: “BNP has always prioritized state sovereignty and citizens’ rights. When democracy was erased under Sheikh Hasina’s fascist regime, BNP sacrificed lives and shed blood to revive democratic rule. In contrast, Jamaat has always calculated its own political expedience.”
Condemnation of ‘Remittance Shutdown’ Calls: Rizvi strongly criticized recent threats calling for a “remittance shutdown” in response to individual legal proceedings involving a political leader, characterizing it as an irresponsible attempt to politicize criminal accountability.
Questioning Political Directives on Expatriates: Raising questions over imposing political agendas on overseas workers, Rizvi stated: “Are the millions of Bangladeshi expatriates abroad followers of any single political party? They represent diverse political opinions as well as millions of non-political citizens. Under what legal or moral authority can anyone demand a halt to remittances and paralyze the country’s economy?”
Preserving Economic Stability: The senior BNP leader emphasized that creating artificial or political hurdles against vital foreign remittance inflows during current economic realities runs counter to national patriotism.
