Jamaat has connection with US, I see this as an ominous warning: Farhad Mazhar

Stating that Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has a relationship with the United States, poet and public intellectual Farhad Mazhar has said that he views it as a dangerous and ominous sign.

Farhad Mazhar made the remarks while responding to a question at a discussion titled “Nationwide crisis of gas, electricity and safe water: what society should do”, held at the Zahur Hossain Chowdhury Hall of the National Press Club on Friday afternoon.

A journalist referred to a report published on Thursday by the US-based newspaper The Washington Post, which claimed that the United States was seeking “friendship” with Jamaat-e-Islami. According to the report, if Jamaat were to attempt to introduce Sharia law in Bangladesh, it would not be allowed to do so, and the US would then impose a 100 per cent tariff on Bangladesh. The journalist asked about Farhad Mazhar’s comments on the matter.

In response, Farhad Mazhar said, “I believe that every political party in our country is connected to the United States in one way or another, some directly, some indirectly. First and foremost, I believe that after the mass uprising of 5 August, the constitutional counter-revolution has been described internationally as a regime change in favour of the United States.”

He added that although he had been saying this from the outset, newspersons had not given importance to it.

Elaborating further, he said, “Even before the mass uprising and before Gono Odhikar Parishad, I said that removing Sheikh Hasina from Bangladesh was not an issue at all, because the United States would remove her anyway. Our task was to think about how we would build a new Bangladeshi state. This is because the United States is a geopolitical power, and there is no such thing as international law in the world.”

“You have seen Donald Trump’s behaviour. In this harsh reality, in this dangerous situation, my concern is simple: how do I survive with 170 million people? My question is very simple. I want to live with 170 million people with three square meals. I do not want to be dragged into any war,” Farhad Mazhar added.

Responding further, he said, “Many of you talk about anti-India sentiment. I acknowledge India’s dominance. But why don’t you talk about American imperialism? Jamaat has not said that it objects to the so-called stabilisation force (ISF) going to Gaza (Palestine). This makes it clear that Jamaat certainly has a policy alignment and a relationship with the United States. That is why the United States is already making such statements. I see this as a very dangerous warning sign.”

In his speech, Farhad Mazhar urged those concerned not to create divisions between the army and the people.

“Bangladesh’s mass uprising was based on the alliance between students, the public and soldiers. Soldiers are sons of farmers and workers. Any attempt to separate them from the people is dangerous,” he stated.

Speaking on the Gaza issue, he said that participation in any international military initiative in favour of Israel and the United States would not be acceptable to the people.

Speaking about state reform and elections, Farhad Mazhar said the core objective of the mass uprising was to build a state capable of ensuring people’s livelihoods, but that goal had been ignored.

In support of this argument, he said, “If elections are held without uprooting the plunder-based system, the resulting government will not belong to the people.”

For this reason, he said, he had argued for state-building before elections.

On the crises of gas, electricity and water, Farhad Mazhar said these were not natural crises but structural and political ones. Despite increased power generation capacity, people are not receiving electricity, which he argued as evidence of a plunder-based system.

He said private power producers were drawing money from the state exchequer even without producing electricity, and that the crisis could not be resolved without changing the law.

He also described the crisis of safe drinking water as the result of state mismanagement, river encroachment and commercial plunder.

“Real politics is about establishing people’s control over the basic conditions of life—food, water, energy and land. Elections have now turned into a politics of sharing the spoils of plunder. Pro-people politics means ensuring the right to survive,” he expressed.

The discussion was organised by an organisation called Gana Obbhuthan Surakkha Mancha. Among those present at the event were Ahmed Ferdous and Bhabbaithaki organiser Mohammad Romel.