A delegation from Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami met with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A M M Nasir Uddin on Wednesday, marking the party’s first formal engagement with the Election Commission (EC) since the reinstatement of its registration and electoral symbol, the balance scale.
During the meeting held at the EC headquarters in Agargaon, the Jamaat delegation formally conveyed their positions on key electoral issues, including the introduction of proportional representation (PR) in parliamentary elections, ensuring voting rights for expatriates, and holding local government elections before the next national election.
Speaking to the media following the meeting, Jamaat’s Assistant Secretary General A H M Hamidur Rahman Azad said, “The restoration of our registration and symbol has set a new precedent. It proves that injustice cannot be sustained through state machinery. Our fundamental rights were violated when our registration and symbol were unjustly revoked for political reasons during the previous government’s tenure.”
Referring to the government gazette issued a day earlier reinstating the party’s electoral status, Azad added, “With this gazette, our rights have been restored by the court’s directive, paving the way for justice in the country.”
On the matter of electoral reforms, Azad emphasized Jamaat’s support for a proportional representation system, describing it as a more effective and fair approach to ensuring credible elections. “We officially raised this demand during the meeting. A PR system would ensure balanced representation and minimize electoral malpractice,” he noted.
Azad also highlighted Jamaat’s call for local government elections to be held before the national polls, stating, “Holding local elections under any form of non-partisan interim or caretaker government would ensure greater fairness and acceptability. This should be implemented both for the current and future elections.”
When asked about the party’s confidence in the current Election Commission, Azad replied cautiously: “We are observing the commission’s actions. Where it acts rightly, we will acknowledge it. Where there are deviations, we will speak out. For now, we are hopeful that the Commission will act in a way that upholds public trust.”
The meeting was attended by Jamaat leaders including Assistant Secretary Generals Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair and Advocate Jasim Uddin Sarkar. From the EC side, Election Commissioner Anwarul Islam Sarkar and senior officials were also present.
