Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman today said the national election must be held only after fulfilling three conditions — reforms, trial, and the establishment of a proper election method.
Speaking at a "Meet the Press" programme in the capital, he said their proposed timeline of holding the election by February 2026 is not rigid, reports The Daily Star.
"It may be held before the timeline or after it if the conditions are fulfilled," he said.
He stressed that all political parties should cooperate with the government to carry out the reform process.
"The faster they coordinate with the government, the sooner the election will be held," he said, adding, "If that does not happen, I am doubtful whether any timeframe will be meaningful."
He said there must be visible, acceptable, and basic reforms before the election.
"We all have reform proposals. We have 41 points, BNP has 31 points, some others have proposed 56 or 57 points. We`re not asking for all of those. We are focusing on only six basic reforms."
He also said that the trial of "fascists" must be carried out in a way that clearly indicates justice will be ensured.
"We have to get rid of the culture where an election is considered fair only if someone wins, and unfair if they lose. We need to build a system where no one can easily question the process. More dialogues and discussions among political parties are necessary in this regard."
In response to queries, he said Jamaat is not setting any timeframe for the judicial system to complete the trials, but reiterated that it remains a demand.
He said that during their visit to the EU, they met BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and acting Chairperson Tarique Rahman, but there were no formal discussions between them.
"We went there to inquire about the health condition of the BNP chairperson. We had discussions, but all were informal," he added.
During the EU visit, Jamaat leaders urged countries to open embassies in Bangladesh to strengthen bilateral relations and sought collective cooperation to repatriate Rohingya refugees, the Jamaat ameer said.
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