Jamaat will announce candidates ‘when it’s time,’ says Jamaat chief Shafiqur

"We announced the list almost a year ago in various ways, also regionally. The central body of the party will announce the final list on time, Allah willing," he says

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami will announce its “final” list of candidates for the 13th national parliamentary elections when “it’s time,” according to party chief Shafiqur Rahman.

Ending a 15-day foreign tour, he met the reporters at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 5:30am on Tuesday.

In response to a question there, the Jamaat ameer said: "The BNP has not published its final list. I saw that they have published the list of candidates for 237 seats and again said that it was not final. There could be more changes to it."

"We announced the list almost a year ago in various ways, also regionally. The central body of the party will announce the final list on time, Allah willing."

He highlighted that they also have to keep in mind the issue of announcing their candidates as part of alliances this time.

He said, "Since we won't be contesting the election ourselves, but will retain many others in the interest of the country and the nation, so we will announce the candidates at an appropriate time, Allah willing, after considering all aspects."

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman approved the list of their candidates for 237 seats at a three-and-a-half-hour meeting of the BNP National Standing Committee on Monday.

Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir read out the list at a press conference in Gulshan in the evening.

The Jamaat ameer left the country for Umrah on Oct 19 and arrived in the United States three days later on Oct 22. Later, he visited the United Kingdom and returned home.

Party leaders and activists gathered at the airport to welcome him; the party's two nayeb-e-ameers and the central secretary general were present.

The ameer urged the Election Commission to extend the deadline for expatriates to become voters by another 15 days.

He said, "The biggest right for expatriates was the right to vote. This time, we were the first to raise this demand and we have not given up on this demand."

"We have spoken on behalf of the expatriates about this demand in all important places, including with the chief advisor and the Election Commission."

He commended the government for taking the initiative to include expatriates in the voter list and said, "But there are still some problems. The deadline was set for Oct 30, but the software installed has not been working properly."

"Therefore, despite their interest, many people were unable to become voters."