No elections under partisan govt, IAB reiterates

Staff Reporter :
Islami Andolon Bangladesh (IAB) has reiterated that they will not participate in the parliamentary polls under partisan government and they have also reservation about the election-time caretaker government system.

“The government is attempting to hold a parliamentary election under partisan government. They are continuing to deceive people. We want to reiterate that Islami Andolon Bangladesh will not take part in election by keeping the government in power,” IAB Amir Mufti Syed Md Rezaul Karim on Saturday.

He made the remarks during a view exchange meeting on “Resolving Political Crisis and the Imperatives for Fair and Impartial National Election” held in a city hotel.

“No election under partisan government has been acceptable and impartial since independence. The main purpose of the partisan government is to occupy power by holding unilateral election.

There is no hope for free and fair election under partisan government in future. The elections of 1973, 2014 and 2018 are the examples,” he said.

Opposing elections under caretaker government, Chormonai Pir also said, “The first election under caretaker government was held in 1991 under a special political situation. When BNP formed the government at that time, the then opposition claimed it was an election of ‘subtle rigging’. The opposition boycotted the parliament under this pretext.”

“When the next election in 1996 was held under the caretaker government, the then opposition termed them election ‘flagrant rigging’ and boycotted the House continuously. So elections under caretaker government are not acceptable and impartial,” he pointed out.

Proposing the formation of a national government during election, Rezaul Karim said, “Over time, we have observed that elections under partisan governments, caretaker governments, totalitarian governments, and military-backed governments are neither impartial nor acceptable.”

“Due to the current political situation and the shortcomings of previous methods, if a national government is formed under the guidance and participation of all registered parties, holding of the 12th parliamentary election under its administration will be free, fair, and acceptable,” he said.

Regarding the formation of a national government, Charamonai Peer stated, “A learned, honest, and acceptable judge from the Appellate Division should be appointed as the head, and representatives of the registered parties should be included in the national government.”

“Those who are part of the national government will not be able to participate in the parliamentary elections. The national government must be formed before the expiration of the National Parliament’s term,” he continued.

“As soon as the national government is formed, the current National Parliament must be dissolved. Along with dissolving the Parliament, the current Prime Minister will transfer power to the interim national government,” he said.

Within three months of the formation of the national government, a national election will be arranged. If it was not possible for any reason, it is imperative to transfer power to the elected representatives within the next three months by holding polls, he said.

After the formation of the national government, the Election Commission must be dissolved and a new Election Commission will be formed. No one from the current cabinet will be able to be part of the interim national government, Rezaul Karim said.

The view-exchange meeting was also attended, among others, by BNP Vice Chairman Barkatullah Bulu, BNP Joint Secretary General Moazzem Hossain Alal, Amir of Bangladesh Jamiyatul Moslehin Maulana Khalilur Rahman, Chairman of Bangladesh Kalyan Party Major General (Retd.) Syed Muhammad Ibrahim, Presidium Member of Jatiya Party (JaPa), Golam Moshih, Chairman of National Democratic Party, Bobby Hajjaj, Member Secretary of Amar Bangladesh Party Majibur Rahman Manju, Presidium Member of Muslim League Atiqul Islam, Secretary General of Khelafat Majlis Dr. Ahmad Abdul Quader, Jamaat-e-Islami leader Maulana Khalilur Rahman Madani, Chairman of Khelafat-e-Rabbani Party Mufti Fazlul Haque Jalalabadi, Former Vice-Chancellor of Patuakhali Science and Technology University Dr. Abdul Latif Masum, and Insaf Qayem Committee leader Shawkat Mahmud.