Islamic Activist Group Calls for Elections under July Constitution; Communist Party (ML) Announces New Leadership
In a series of recent developments, several political parties in Bangladesh have been advocating for electoral reforms ahead of the upcoming national election.
During a party conference, the president has taken over as the party head, according to the changes made. Harun Chowdhury, the newly appointed president of the Communist Party (ML), also declared himself the party's president during the same event. In a separate development, Harun Chowdhury has stated that Dilip Barua, the former general secretary of the Communist Party (ML), has become controversial, and his whereabouts are currently unknown.
Meanwhile, the Islami Andolan Bangladesh (IAB) has submitted a seven-point demand for the upcoming election. Joint Secretary General Mawlana Gazi Ataur Rahman made these demands at a press conference in Dhaka on 13 August. The IAB has called for holding all elections under the proportional representation (PR) system, arguing that this is a public demand. They also propose that both national and local elections should be conducted based on reforms outlined in the July Charter.
The IAB advocates for holding local government elections before the national polls and suggests providing training and guidance to election officials and law enforcement members, with legal action if they fail in their duties. They have proposed deploying army personnel to ensure fair polls and have proposed barring certain parties and individuals from contesting elections.
The Communist Party (ML) delegation, led by Harun Chowdhury, presented their demands during a meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin. The party demanded an end to financial and political manipulation in the election and a fair election with equal treatment for all candidates. However, the Communist Party (ML) did not demand the implementation of proportional representation in the Lower House, as it has already been mentioned that the IAB has called for this.
Ataur Rahman, a prominent member of the Communist Party (ML), has criticized the early announcement of the election date by the chief adviser before finalizing the July Charter. He also issued a warning to the Election Commission, suggesting that failure to deliver a fair election could lead to consequences similar to those faced by past commissions.
A four-member party delegation led by Secretary General Yunus Ahmad previously met with the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) to present the party's new committee and restructuring. Harun Chowdhury presented the party's new committee and restructuring during a meeting with the CEC as well.
According to Ataur Rahman, the current electoral environment lacks a level playing field, as perceived by the Islami Andolan Bangladesh. He emphasized that PR elections are crucial to ensure every vote counts and maintain free, neutral, and peaceful polls. In response to this, the IAB has demanded the exclusion of certain parties and individuals from contesting elections by cancelling their registrations and disqualifying corrupt individuals, terrorists, extortionists, land grabbers, tender manipulators, and murderers from running in any election.
The Islami Andolan Bangladesh has demanded that the next national election be held in accordance with the July National Charter. They argue that the current electoral environment lacks fairness and equality, and the July Charter provides a roadmap for a free and fair election. The party presented a seven-point demand during this meeting, reflecting their commitment to ensuring a free and fair election in Bangladesh.
- As the recent developments unfold in Bangladesh, discussions on war-and-conflicts, crime-and-justice, general-news, and politics have increasingly become intertwined with policy-and-legislation, especially in relation to upcoming elections.
- In light of the ongoing debates on electoral reforms, political parties such as the Islamic Andolan Bangladesh and the Communist Party (ML) have presented demands for policy changes, including the implementation of proportional representation, fair and neutral elections, and the exclusion of certain parties and individuals from contesting elections.
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