Dhaka: Two ministers of the Awami League led grand alliance expressed differing views on Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad over participation of the next general elections following his conviction in contempt of court.

State Minister for Law Quamrul Islam said Hamidur Rahman Azad said despite contempt conviction, he could still participate in the next general election, but Forest and Environmnt Minister Hasna Mahmud expressed exactly the opposite thing saying he could no way take part in the forthcoming election due to his contempt conviction sentencing him to three months in jail and Tk 3000 fine for making derogatory comments on war crimes trial and also commenting on ICT procedure.

Environment Minister said, “Convicted person or even lawmaker could not take part in general election.”  

The two minister expressed the quite contradictory and exactly opposite views while talking to journalist over conviction of three Jammat leaders, including lawmaker Hamidur Rahman Azad, for contempt of court and Jamaat’s hartal call in protest against the ICT-2 verdict.

Quamrul said Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Hamidur Rahman Azad will lose his Jatiya Sangsad membership following his contempt of court conviction by International Crimes Tribunal-2.

He said, “Hartal cannot save Hamid Azad’s JS membership as his conviction cannot be quashed through shutdown. If he is aggrieved he will have to file an appeal against the conviction.”

“Instead of enforcing a hartal the Jamaat MP could have appealed to the court for leniency and the court could have forgiven him quashing his conviction,” Quamrul said.

“Had he surrendered to the court showing respect to the law of the land, then the court might have shown its leniency,” said Quamrul.

He also said, “A new culture is being introduced against court and the judiciary. But if this hartal culture gains popularity then what the next ruling party would do? Would there be no court and judiciary in future?”

Forest and Environment Minister Hasan Mahmud, Awami League Central Committee member Enamul Haque Shamim and City AL acting president MA Aziz were also present during the talks with journalist.

The environment minister said, “Jamaat has enforced the hartal against the tribunal which would ultimately create impediment to establishing the rule of law in the country.”

“The anti-liberation Jamaat has resorted to violence, vandalism to foil the trial of war criminals, but all those had failed to affect the trial as several war crimes trial will be completed within a few days,” said Hasan Mahmud.

“Due to violence and confrontational politics, the BNP and Jamaat had diminished politically to such a level that those parties would turn into today’s Muslim League very soon,” said hasan Mahmud.

He also said the peace-loving people of the country would reject the BNP-Jamaat cliques in future for their violent and negative politics. The minister also congratulated the people of the country for rejecting the hartal spontaneously.  

Three Jamaat leaders were convicted on Sunday by ICT-2 for making derogatory remarks against the war crimes trial and also against the ICT proceedings. The convicted Jamaat leaders are acting Jamaat secretary general Rafiqul Islam Khan, Jamaat executive council member Hamidur Rahman Azad and Jamaat leader Selim Uddin.

Ends/OSR/AMA/10/06/13