A party wants to use Islam to divide the nation: Salahuddin Ahmed

BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed warned that a political party is attempting to exploit Islam to divide the nation for electoral gains, urging citizens to reject those sowing confusion through religion.

Speaking as a special guest at the 'Ajmate Sahaba' Islamic conference held at Narayanganj's central Eidgah Maidan on Saturday afternoon, Ahmed emphasised ideological politics rooted in unity.

"A party wants to use Islam to divide the nation for political gain," he said.

"We should stay away from those who want to use Islam to create confusion among us. 90 to 92 percent of the people of Bangladesh follow the Islam of Medina. None of us follow Maududi's Islam. That is why we have to do ideological politics, good politics."

Ahmed highlighted the recurring misuse of religion in Bangladeshi politics, particularly ahead of elections. "In Bangladesh, I always notice the use of Islam in politics, especially before elections, and the use of Islam in various ways to gain political benefits. I have been seeing it more and more lately."

He called for national unity and condemned the ousted Awami League government under Sheikh Hasina as "fascist" and "Islamophobic."

"The previous fascist government, the fascist Sheikh Hasina government, was an Islamophobic government. They were an anti-Muslim government. The people of this country have seen the politics of the Awami League. It was apolitical and anti-Islam politics. They did politics against scholars and Islam for political gain."

"Everyone is a witness to history as to how they departed by the command of Allah," he added. "We have to do politics in the right way, practice ideological politics, so that the culture of fascist and apolitical politics is eradicated through good ideology. Only through the practice of good politics will apolitical politics be eliminated in the country and ideological politics will be established."

The conference was organised by Hefazat-e-Islam's Narayanganj district unit and presided over by its Ameer, Mufti Munir Hossain Qasemi. Although Hefazat-e-Islam Ameer Shah Muhibullah Babunagri was scheduled as chief guest, he did not attend; the organisation's Secretary General Sajidur Rahman addressed the gathering instead.