With the national election in the spotlight, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has emphasised the need for essential reforms to ensure free and fair polls, asserting that the country should not proceed without them.
“We’ve clearly told them (Election Commission) that (there will be) no (national) election without reforms,” said Jamaat Secretary General Prof Mia Golam Parwar on Thursday.
He made the remarks while talking to reporters after a two-hour meeting between a Jamaat delegation and the Election Commission at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city.
“The parliamentary elections will have to be arranged after reforming at least all the divisions and organs involved in the election process. Otherwise, this election would not be neutral and free," said Golam Parwar.
The Jamaat leader said if the national election is held without reforms, there will be a recurrence of the previous three national elections where people could not exercise their voting rights.
He said his party wants reforms that just are required to make the election process fair. They do not want to reform the whole state as it will take time and it is the responsibility of an elected government, he added.
“But it is the responsibility of this interim government to bring the minimum reforms required to make the election neutral. And Jamaat-e-Islami is ready to give a logical time as much as required for that,” he added.
The Jamaat secretary general said they have not asked the EC any specific month or date for the election.
Replying to a question over the electoral preparation assuming the national election to be held in December next, he said the government has given a tentative idea over the election timeframe.
“If they can hold a free and fair election completing the necessary reforms within the announced timeframe, we have no objection. Months are not a factor for us,” he said.
Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, four election commissioners Abdur Rahmanel Masud, Tahmida Ahmad, Md Anwarul Islam Sarker and Brig Gen (Retd) Abdul Fazal Md Sanaullah, and EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed were present.
The six-member Jamaat delegation included Jamaat assistant secretary general AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad, its central executive committee member Matiur Rahman Akand, publicity and media affairs secretary advocate Jashim Uddin Sarker, central majlish-e-shura member Advocate Yousuf Ali, Jamaat’s Dhaka city unit leader Advocate Kamal Uddin.
During the meeting, the Jamaat leaders gave a 23-point written proposal to the Election Commission.
Jamaat supports public desire to hold local polls first:
Replying to a question, Golam Parwar said the people want and desire that the local government polls be held before the national election. “We’ve expressed our support and respect to this desire of the people,” he said.
Talking about the major proposals placed before the EC, he said they proposed the introduction of proportional representation (PR) system in the national election. This PR system is in more than 60 countries in the world, he said.
He said they proposed restoration of the Article 91 (A) of the 'Representation of the People Act’ in a bid to give the full authority to the Election Commission to cancel an election partially and fully in case of irregularities.
“The previous government illegally undermined this authority (given in the Article 91 (A) of the Election Commission with political intention. We’ve said that it will have to be restored,” he said.
He said they also proposed ensuring the voting rights of the expatriates as more than 10 million Bangladeshis are in foreign lands.
In reply to a question over Jamaat’s registration, Golam Parwan said this issue is pending with the Appellate Division and expressed hope that they would get justice in the court in this regard.
He said the registration law has imposed strict conditions for a political party to get registration. “Political rights have been curtailed (with the law). This law is contradictory to the constitution. It must be repealed. Everyone has the right to form a party and do politics," he said.
The Jamaat secretary said there is no need for registration. If there is a party, it should be allowed to participate in the elections. “There was no registration law before 2008. By doing all this, the right to form a party and do politics has been undermined. This law is in conflict with the constitution."
Jamaat last met the Election Commission in December 2013.