Won’t join polls under Hasina-led government
An alliance of six Islamist parties yesterday decided not to run in the January 7 general election under the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The combine demands the Election Commission announces a fresh polls schedule after political parties reaches a consensus through talks.
The decision came in a meeting of the alliance at the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh's office in the capital's Paltan, an alliance leader told The Daily Star.
The five other members of the alliance are Khelafat Majlish, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, Muslim League, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon, and Nejam-e-Islami. All but Najam-e-Islami are registered with the EC.
The alliance will take out a procession from the south gate of the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque after Juma prayers today protesting the "unilateral declaration of the polls schedule".
The six Islamist parties were components of the BNP-led 20-party alliance. But they severed their ties with the BNP several years ago alleging that they were not "properly evaluated".
The Awami League is reportedly trying to woo several Islamist parties, including the six, to get them into taking part in the polls to show off that most political parties are taking part in the election.
The EC on Wednesday announced that the 12th parliamentary polls will be held on January 7. Unveiling the polls schedule, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal urged all political parties to take part in the election.
Speaking to The Daily Star, leaders of several Islamist parties said the government was putting pressure on them to run in the polls.
Monjurul Islam, secretary general of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, said they have decided unanimously to reject the polls schedule as people's expectations were not reflected in EC's decision.
"We will not join the polls unless a conducive atmosphere is created," he told The Daily Star.
Monjurul also said they demand the government creates a consensus among the political parties through dialogues for holding the election under a neutral polls-time government.
Shakhawat Hossain, nayeb-e-ameer of Khelafat Majlish, said they will run in the general election only if it is held in a free and fair manner under an election-time government.
A total of 12 Islamist parties are registered with the EC. Five of them, who have good ties with the AL, will participate in the election. They are Jaker Party, Torikot Federation, Islamic Front Bangladesh, Bangladesh Muslim League and Bangladesh Supreme Party (BSP).
Sayeed Saifuddin Ahmed, chairman of the BSP, said five other parties would join the polls under the BSP banner as the party is the only EC-registered party among them.
AL Joint Secretary General Mahbubul Alam Hanif told this correspondent on Monday that their party was not putting pressure on any political party to take part in the polls.
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