Minister Urges Jamaat-e-Islami to Apologize for 1971 War Role, Warns Against Anti-Independence Alliances

Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has called on Jamaat-e-Islami to apologize for its actions during Bangladesh's 1971 Liberation War, stating the party has yet to express remorse.

Speaking during parliamentary discussions on the proposed national budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year, the BNP secretary general urged Jamaat-e-Islami to clarify its position on the 1971 war. He suggested that an apology would facilitate the party's political engagement in Bangladesh. "For your role in 1971, you have not apologized even once. You should have apologized before the nation," Alamgir stated, adding that acknowledging their role would have prevented current issues.

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For your role in 1971, you have not apologized even once. You should have apologized before the nation. Had you done so, today’s problems would not exist. But you did not. On the contrary, your leader Ghulam Azam declared that in 1971 ‘we did not make a mistake.’ Even now, there is time -- you can reflect and reconsider.

Alamgir noted that Jamaat-e-Islami's leadership, including Ghulam Azam, had previously declared they made "no mistake" in 1971. He reiterated that there is still time for the party to "reflect and reconsider" its stance. He also addressed provocations from opposition members, urging them to examine their own positions and clearly state their stance on 1971.

Furthermore, the minister advised the National Citizen Party (NCP) against forming alliances with parties that opposed Bangladesh's independence. He expressed hope that these young politicians would clarify their political direction, emphasizing their potential while cautioning them against associating with groups that denied the nation's existence. "They should not carry the stigma of being associated with those who denied Bangladesh’s very existence," he concluded.

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They have allied with a party that did not believe in Bangladesh’s independence. I hope they will clarify their politics further as they move forward. These young politicians have much potential. They will do well. We want them to succeed. But they should not carry the stigma of being associated with those who denied Bangladesh’s very existence.