Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Professor Mia Golam Parwar has clarified that the call to change the national anthem, made by former Brigadier General (dismissed) Abdullahil Amaan Azmi, reflects his personal opinion and is not the official stance of the party.
"Abdullahil Amaan Azmi is not a member of Jamaat-e-Islami and therefore, his statements regarding the national anthem are entirely personal," Professor Parwar said in response to questions from journalists after a discussion event in a hotel in Rangpur on Sunday afternoon (8 September).
"What he has said regarding the national anthem is his individual opinion, and Jamaat-e-Islami does not bear any responsibility for it," he stated.
In response to a statement issued by 48 prominent citizens, which claimed that the Ameer of Jamaat had advised the nation to forget all past grievances, Professor Parwar dismissed this, asserting that the Amir never made such remarks.
As a result, he added, the party would not respond to such a statement.
Highlighting the pressing need for reform in the country, Professor Parwar emphasised that the greatest challenge now is to address the deep-rooted issues that have developed over the past 15 years.
"Fascist elements have embedded themselves within the state's apparatus over the last 15 years," he said, stressing the need for reforms in the Constitution and the Election Commission.
He further noted the politicisation of constitutional institutions over the past decade and a half, calling for their depoliticisation as part of the necessary reforms.
"It will take a long time to clear the debris of the past 15 years," Parwar remarked, adding that while an interim government may not be able to accomplish all reforms, it must focus on ensuring a free and fair election. He called upon the interim government to undertake these essential reforms and organise elections.
