Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar on Monday said the prevailing situation cannot be considered a level playing field for elections, stressing the need for corrective steps.
He made the remarks after a meeting with the Election Commission (EC), led by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin, at the Election Commission in Agargaon.
“We met the Election Commission today to seek clarity on several important issues ahead of the next national election, including information gaps and uncertainties,” Golam Parwar told reporters. “We clearly told the commission that the current situation does not ensure a level playing field.”
He said Jamaat placed specific information and evidence before the commission, urging it to take concrete measures. “Once the schedule is announced, full authority will lie with the commission. The administration must be kept strictly neutral,” he added.
Golam Parwar said the party informed the EC that any official found openly violating neutrality after the schedule announcement would be reported. “The commission assured us that it will take immediate action if such incidents are brought to its notice,” he said.
Raising concerns over law and order, the Jamaat leader said attacks on political meetings and incidents involving women voters during gatherings were alarming. He sought clarification on what steps the EC had taken and how it plans to address these challenges once the schedule is announced.
He also said the issue of illegal weapons was discussed, noting that although an arms recovery drive is underway, it needs to be more effective. “We asked how many weapons looted from police stations after August 5 have been recovered and what steps are being taken to arrest illegal arms holders who could disrupt the election,” he added.
Golam Parwar said the meeting also covered voting rights of expatriates, noting that many face difficulties in voter registration due to documentation requirements. Discussions were held on simplifying the process for overseas voters.
Referring to the interim government’s instruction to hold the 13th parliamentary election by mid-February, Jamaat urged the EC to announce a specific election date. “The timeframe mentioned earlier—holding the election before Ramadan—is almost over,” he said, adding that the party sought clarity to dispel uncertainty.
Asked if Jamaat feared a delay in the schedule announcement, Golam Parwar said: “We do not feel that at the moment. We want to trust the commission’s assurance that the schedule will be announced by the second week of this month.”
He also reiterated Jamaat’s demand for installing CCTV cameras at polling centres to ensure fair and impartial voting. “The EC says it is expensive, but we believe a credible national election is more important than cost for ensuring democracy and peaceful transfer of power,” he said.
On the EC’s stance regarding the appointment of officials from private banks as election officials, Golam Parwar said: “No party owns any bank or financial institution. The EC has said it will not appoint officials who are accused of bias towards any political party.”
