Jamaat won't join dialogue unless Nizami, Khaleda, Hasina are freed

The Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh formally declared yesterday that they would not join the government-sponsored dialogue with political parties without the unconditional release of their Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina.
”We'll not enter into the talks without the unconditional release of Nizami, Khaleda and Hasina as we've said earlier that the dialogue and the election would not be credible keeping them behind bars," Jamaat Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid told reporters at a press briefing at the party's central office.
Mojahid said the government's "ill intention" is delaying the election through creating complexities instead of handing over power to an elected government after holding the general election immediately.
Stating that the interim administration's main duty was to hold the parliamentary elections within 90 days of its taking office, he said the government overstepped its limits for which the country is suffering badly.
"Release all detained political leaders and hold a credible parliamentary election as it's your first duty," he said, adding that the elections would not be acceptable home and abroad without the participation of all political parties.
"It's the government duty to ensure the participation of all political parties in the election and the government has to do it."
Referring to the recent crackdown on political leaders "in the name of curbing corruption", he asked the government to stop such "political harassment.”