Election outcast Jamaat wants inclusion in Bangabhaban talks on next EC

The Jamaat-e-Islami, which is disqualified for elections after losing its registration, has demanded a say in the ongoing dialogue between the president and the political parties on forming the next Election Commission.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 19 Dec 2016, 10:54 PM
Updated : 19 Dec 2016, 10:54 PM

Jamaat chief Maqbul Ahmad sent a letter to the president on Monday, expressing their eagerness to join the talks, the party said in a statement.

President Md Abdul Hamid has started the dialogue through a meeting with the Jamaat's key ally, the BNP.

A BNP delegation led by Chairperson Khaleda Zia met the president at the Bangabhaban on Sunday.

The new EC, which is taking charge in February, will oversee the next general election.

The Jamaat could not take part in the last general elections in 2014 after losing its registration following a High Court order for having a charter contradicting the Constitution of Bangladesh.  

The BNP boycotted the elections as their demand for a ‘neutral’ polls-time caretaker government went unheeded.

Over 100 people died in the violent protests unleashed BNP and Jamaat against the elections, supervised by the current Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad-led EC.

The commission was formed in 2012 by the then president Zillur Rahman through a search committee.

President Hamid is also forming the next EC through a search committee. The BNP has presented some proposals on the constitution of the search committee and the next EC.

Maqbul's letter to the president welcomed his initiative and wished him success.

Maqbul took charge of the party in October, five months after the execution of Motiur Rahman Nizami for crimes committed against humanity during the War of Independence.

Nizami, who succeeded Ghulam Azam - another convicted war criminal – helmed the party until his execution.

The International Crimes Tribunal recently launched investigation into alleged war crimes committed by Maqbul as a member of the Razakar force in Feni in 1971.

The demand for banning Jamaat as a war criminal party is growing after five of its top leaders have been hanged for crimes against humanity after the war crimes trial was launched in 2010.

By this time in 2013, the High Court ordered the cancellation of the party's registration for not changing its charter.

The Jamaat had moved the Supreme Court against the High Court order, but the matter is yet to be settled.

Maqbul also brought the issue to the letter to the president.

"The case over Jamaat's registration is under trial at the Supreme Court's Appellate Division. Naturally, Jamaat has the right to take part in the dialogue as a party representing the people," he said.

BNP chief Khaleda, in her proposal to form the EC, appears to back Jamaat's inclusion in the talks.

She says the next EC will have to be formed on a consensus reached by every registered political party or those elected to Parliament ever since independence.