A year after forming the four-party alliance with Jamaat, BNP came to power in 2001 and included Jamaat in the government. According to many BNP leaders, adding Jamaat in the government was a politically incorrect decision. Senior standing committee members said that BNP veered from the spirit of the Liberation War during that period of conflict. BNP standing committee member, Barrister Jamir Uddin Sarker, said: “Jamaat came closer to BNP when the party formed a government, winning the 1991 election. The BNP high command put their trust in Jamaat after it secured 17 parliamentary seats and supported BNP.”Two BNP standing committee members said BNP Chief Khaleda Zia accepted Jamaat’s support under the initiative and efforts of three influential right-wing leaders of BNP.

Source: Dhaka Tribune February 16, 2019 19:07 UTC