Dhaka, Dec. 3 -- Senior BNP leader Mirza Abbas has levelled a sharp accusation against another political party, widely understood to be the Jamaat-e-Islami.

He described the group, which he did not name, as a "distorter of religion".

At an event in Dhaka's Siddheshwari on Wednesday, he said: "I must say their medicine is actually the Awami League. No decent person will be able to work with them.

"The Awami League is a rude party, as is [Jamaat] also an uncivilised one, and a religion-distorting party, a party that follows Maududist beliefs."

He said: "Some candidates are inciting religious sentiments and making statements like 'If you vote for me, you will go to heaven.'"

Abbas said, "They say, 'If you don't vote, you will go to hell...