HC orders EC to make swift decision on Jamaat candidates

The High Court has ordered the Election Commission to resolve within three days a plea to bar 25 Jamaat-e-Islami leaders from contesting in the election.

Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam and Justice Mohammad Ali issued the rule following a writ petition hearing on Tuesday.

The petition challenges the legality of allowing Jamaat leaders to become candidates since the party is no longer registered with the Election Commission.

The writ petitioners have moved the Election Commission with their plea after being advised to do so by the High Court bench in the primary hearing.

A representative of the Election Commission was present when the judges ordered the 3-day deadline for resolution of the plea.

“We have learned from various news articles that 25 candidates of the Jamaat-e-Islami have submitted nomination documents to the Election Commission disguised as independent runners or members of other political parties,” the petitioners said in their plea. “The Election Commission has accepted their candidacy which is a move contrary to the law.”  

A High Court verdict in 2013 stripped the Jamaat of its registration as a political party. The order came over a writ petition filed by the Tarikat Foundation in 2008.

Despite the court’s ruling, leaders of the Islamist party which had actively opposed Bangladesh’s Liberation War have been nominated as candidates of the BNP, an ally party. There are also others who are competing as independent candidates.

The writ petitioners are Bangladesh Tarikat Federation Secretary General Syed Rezaul Haque Chandpuri, its Social Welfare Secretary Shah Mohammad Ali Hossain, Amra Muktijoddhar Sontan President Humayun Kabir and its Presidium Member Md Emdadul Haque.

Besides the 25 Jamaat candidates, the chief election commissioner, Election Commission secretary, Jamaat chief and its secretary general will have to respond to the rule.

Tania Amir, who stood for the petitioners, pointed out the cancellation of the Jamaat’s registration at the hearing.

“As they (Jamaat leaders) cannot contest with their own party symbol, they don’t have the opportunity to use any other party’s symbol,” she argued.

The 22 leaders who are contesting in the Dec 30 election with the BNP’s ‘paddy sheaf’ symbol are Shafiqur Rahman for Dhaka-15, Rafiqul Islam Khan for Sirajganj-4, Abul Kalam Azad for Khulna-6, Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher for Cumilla-11, Mia Ghulam Parwar for Khulna-5, Anwarul Islam for Pabna-3, Iqbal Hossain for Pabna-5, Abu Sayeed Mohammad Shahadat Hossain for Jessore-2, Abdul Hakim for Thakurgaon-2, Abu Hanif for Dinajpur-1, Anwarul Islam for Dinajpur-6, Azizul Islam for Nilphamari-3, Mazedur Rahman for Gaibandha-1, Muhaddis Abdul Khaleque for Satkhira-2, Gazi Nazrul Islam for Satkhira-4, Shameem Sayedee for Pirojpur-1, Md Moniruzzaman for Nilphamari-2, Motiar Rahma for Jhenaidah-3, Wadul Sheikh for Bagerhat-3, Abdul Alim for Bagerhat-4, and Shamsul Alam for Chattogram-15.

Jamaat leader Hamidur Rahman is fighting for the Cox’s Bazar-2 seat as an independent candidate. The BNP has not fielded any candidate there.

Jamaat leaders Nurul Islam Bulbul is running for Chanpainawabganj-3, Zahirul Islam for Chattogram-16, and Nazibur Rahman for Pabna-1.