Huji leaders apply to EC with new party

Adviser to Islamic Democratic Party (IDP) Kazi Azizul Huq, second from left, hands over IDP application form to the EC for registration yesterday as founding leader of Huji and IDP Convener Abdus Salam, third from left, stands besides him.Photo: Focus Bangla

Islamic Democratic Party (IDP), a new party floated by leaders of the now banned Islamist outfit Harkat ul Jihad Al Islami (Huji), yesterday submitted an application to the Election Commission (EC) to register themselves for the upcoming parliamentary polls.
The IDP was floated on May 18 this year and also consists of 200 to 300 Afghan War veterans, Kazi Azizul Huq, an adviser to the IDP, told reporters yesterday.
Azizul Huq said that the party's ultimate objective is to establish Sharia law in the country but they would follow the civil code.
Sheikh Abdus Salam heads the convening committee of IDP. It was also under his leadership that a group of Afghan war veterans launched Huji through a press conference at the National Press Club on April 30, 1992.
The government banned Huji in 2005 for its militant activities, but Azizul claimed that the leaders had dissolved the party back in 1998. He also claimed that the party never had any links with militant activities.
“Majority of the then Huji is now with us. The people who are not with us are not on the right path,” Azizul said.
Huji's Bangladesh chapter had been involved in carrying out terrorist activities in Bangladesh for more than half a decade. It has been behind several major bomb attacks as well as assassination attempts on former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and some leading intellectuals of the nation.
According to IDP leaders, the party now has committees in 69 districts and 350 upazilas across the country.
“All of these are convening committee. We plan to hold a national convention to elect new committees in November,” Azizul said.
IDP's convenor Salam said his party wants to work under a democratic process.
The leaders also informed the press that they have a bank account with Tk 12m000 deposited in it. The source of their funds, they claimed, is donations from well-wishers and fees from the party members.
They said they have kept provisions in their constitution to meet the criteria for registration with the EC.
“We have tried our best to meet the criteria for registration. And hopefully, we will be able to contest the upcoming poll,” Azizul said.
The EC will now scrutinise the application and other documents submitted by IDP to decide if the party qualifies for registration.