In Bangladesh’s heated political scene, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has slammed rival group Jamaat-e-Islami for trying to build a “state within a state” through its moves in politics and universities. BNP leaders say these actions threaten the country’s rules and university operations.
Speaking at a discussion in Dhaka’s Jatiya Press Club on Sunday, BNP senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi zeroed in on a recent incident at Dhaka University. He questioned why the Central Students’ Union Vice President—linked to Jamaat—took it upon himself to fine a campus shop 3,000 Bangladeshi taka and deposit the cash straight into the party’s Baitul Mal fund. “What’s the legal basis for this?” Rizvi asked, according to the Dhaka Tribune. He stressed that university admins, not student leaders, handle shop regulations and campus order.
Rizvi called the fine a big red flag, arguing it lets Jamaat pocket money and act like a shadow government. “Student leaders can flag issues if the campus gets chaotic, but imposing fines and funneling cash to their party fund? That’s serious. It creates a ‘state within a state’ vibe we’re seeing more of,” he said.
He didn’t stop there. Rizvi also hit out at Jamaat’s student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir, for stepping in to supply iron beds to university dorms. “If students need more beds or facilities due to shortages, they should talk to the vice-chancellor. It’s the administration’s job to fix that—not a political party’s,” he explained. Rizvi mocked the idea, adding, “Are they running an orphanage now? Next, will they bring dining tables for meals? This messes with the university’s real structure and Bangladesh’s legal system. It’s a bad sign.”
Adding fuel to the fire, Rizvi accused media outlets of bias in covering Bangladesh politics. He claimed they spotlight BNP over alleged extortion, sand lifting, or stone theft, but stay quiet on Jamaat leaders’ wrongdoings—like sexual harassment cases or abuse against women. “Social media piles on us too, but Jamaat’s issues? Crickets,” he said.
This clash comes after both BNP and Jamaat teamed up with interim chief advisor Muhammad Yunus to topple the Awami League government led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Now, those former allies are turning on each other amid Bangladesh’s shifting power dynamics.
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