Jamaat ameer demands national election after local govt polls

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman has demanded that the interim government hold the national elections after organising the local government elections across the country.

“The administrators are providing services to the city corporations, district councils and municipalities. They have no responsibility towards the people. These institutions are now devoid of guardians, public representatives and servants,” he said at a meeting held at Bishwa Road area in Hajiganj Pashchim Bazar in Chandpur on Saturday.

“Therefore, we are urging the government to hold the local government elections soon to alleviate the suffering of the people. If these elections are held, the people will suffer less. Then, of course, the national elections must be held at a reasonable time. But some reforms are needed before that,” he said.

Shafiqur Rahman said, “Many people ask ‘why reform first.’ We say that reform is necessary to ensure that people can eat and survive. Reform is necessary to ensure that black money and muscle power do not have an impact on elections. To ensure that every voter in the country can cast their vote.”

However, he said it is also not desirable for the government to delay the national elections. “Therefore, we are saying that the national elections must be held within a reasonable time.”

Stating that the elections should be held on a proportional basis, the Jamaat ameer said that the percentage of votes a party gets should determine the number of seats it wins in parliament.

Addressing the BNP, Shafiqur Rahman said, “We will tell you politely that you were oppressed, we were oppressed too. Don’t do anything that will hurt the souls of our martyrs.”

He also said the party has already given the interim government enough time for release of the party leader ATM Azharul Islam and now they will take to the streets to ensure his release.

“They (fascist Awami League) killed 11 of our people one by one. Only one person survives now. He is our brother ATM Azharul Islam. Six months have passed since Bangladesh has driven out the fascists, but unfortunately the burden of fascism still remains on the neck of ATM Azharul Islam,” said The Jamaat leader while addressing a rally at the Adarsh Samad Government High School grounds in Lakshmipur district on Saturday morning.

Lakshmipur District Jamaat Ameer Ruhul Amin Bhuiyan presided over the event.

“One by one, all the national leaders came out. ATM Azharul Islam still remains in the dark cell of the prison. I request the government to hand myself over to the law enforcement agencies on 25 February and tell them to arrest me and send me to prison. Release me the day after Azharul is released,” he said.

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