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| Bangladesh |
| Top leader admits getting Jamaat funds |
| 2008-07-15 |
| A vice-president of Jatiya Muktijoddha Parishad (JMP) yesterday said they receive "donations" from Jamaat-e-Islami for the "welfare" of freedom fighters and to mobilise freedom fighters in different activities. Vice-president of JMP Engineer Abdur Rob said he along with many of the JMP leaders have great respect for Jamaat leaders. He also said many of their leaders support Jamaat even though they are not directly involved in Jamaat. Meanwhile, several freedom fighters yesterday said three persons holding key positions in Jatiya Muktijoddha Parishad are not freedom fighters at all even though the JMP constitution claims that they are freedom fighters. When asked whether the three (two JMP vice-presidents and its president) are freedom fighters as claimed by the JMP constitution, President of JMP Engineer Moslem Uddin and Secretary General Muhammad Iqbal refused to talk. Abdur Rob, who at first had refused to talk, told The Daily Star over telephone, "We are in big trouble." He said, "Yes, we take donations from different businessman, organisations including Jamaat-e-Islami and spend the money on the welfare of freedom fighters." "Honesty of many Jamaat leaders calls for respect," he said, adding, "I along with many of our leaders have respect for Jamaat leaders who are more accountable than other political party leaders." "If you ask me whether I am a supporter or an activist of Jamaat, I must say, I have great respect for Jamaat leaders," he said. Engineer Moslem Uddin refused to talk to The Daily Star over telephone and invited the correspondent to tea for discussion. When The Daily Star correspondent was talking to Abdur Rob, he handed the phone over to Moslem Uddin saying, "Talk to our president, he is right beside me." But Moslem refused to talk again. Moslem Uddin is mentioned as a freedom fighter and the headquarter commander of sector-8 in the JMP constitution. But, Sector-8 Commander of Liberation War Col (retd) Abu Osman Chowdhury said that it is not true. Abdul Latif, commander of Pabna Zila Muktijoddha Sangsad, told The Daily Star that he does not know any commander called Moslem Uddin. "If there was a commander by this name, I would certainly know him," he added. In the JMP constitution, Abdur Rob is described as a freedom fighter and camp commander of the Liberation War who fought under the command of Maj Gen (retd) CR Dutta. Dutta told The Daily Star that there was no camp commander named Abdur Rob under him. Asked about Dutta's comments, Abdur Rob said it is unfortunate if someone denies fact. In the JMP constitution, Fazlul Haq, another vice-president of JMP, is described as sub-sector commander of Noakhali area. Col (retd) Jafar Imam told a Bangla newspaper Sunday that he knows all commanders who fought in greater Noakhali but he does not know any commander named Fazlul Haq. A freedom fighter on Friday was assaulted by Islami Chhatra Shibir activists at Diploma Engineers' Institute in the city where Jamaat-backed Jatiya Muktijoddha Parishad was holding a representatives' conference. The elderly freedom fighter came under attack as he in his address demanded punishment to the Jamaat men who were members of Al-Badr and "Peace Committee" during the Liberation War. |
| Posted by:Fred |