Don’t announce poll-schedule, IAB warns EC
Staff Reporter :
Islami Andolan Bangladesh (IAB) has called upon the Election Commission (EC) to refrain from the poll schedule announcement amid the turbulent political landscape.
“The Election Commission has been desperate to announce the election schedule unilaterally when the political landscape is full of conflicts and instability. The country will fall into the ditch of conflicts if the schedule is announced to fulfill the government’s desires,” IAB Senior Nayeb-e-Amir Mufti Syed Muhammad Foyjul Karim said on Saturday
The IAB leader made the call at a meeting with leaders of different political parties at his party office in the capital while discussing the current political situation.
“The current political environment is not at all conducive to the announcement of election schedule. Most of the political parties are not interested to vie for election under the incumbent government. People will resist the Election Commission if attempt is taken to hold poll,” he said.
Raising voice for an election time government, the Nayeb-e-Amir said, “Most of the political parties are continuing their movements with the demand for election time government. The schedule cannot be announced without creating election environment and forming the poll-time government.”
Drawing attention to the vote rigging in recently concluded by-elections in Brahmanbaria-2 and Lakshmipur-3 constituencies, Foyjul Karim said, “The Commission has badly failed in the recent by-elections. The video footage of stamping ballot papers openly has come to the light. How do they dare to hold a national election by occupying centres and flexing muscle power?”
“The partisan commission should resign instead of announcing the election schedule. If schedule is announced amid such a situation, it will be regarded as an act of utter senselessness,” he remarked.
About the party demand for an election-time government, he further said, “We have to take lesson from the past two elections in 2014 and 2018. The next election has to be held under a national government because election under Awami League will not ensure a free and fair election. People and the political parties will not accept such schedule.”
Critising the government’s misrule, he said, “The government has bankrupted the country through looting. The public opinion is now against the government. The government should immediately release the political prisoners to reach a last opportunity for consensus.”
Among others, IAB Secretary General Mawlana Yunus Ahmad, party Presidium Member Prof Ashraf Ali Akon, and Organising Secretary Prof Syed Belayet Hossain, were present.
In a bid to focus on the current political situation, IAB Ameer Mufti Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim will talk to the press at its party office in the capital today (Sunday).
