| Submit your comments on this article |
| Bangladesh |
| Jamaat not eligible for registration |
| 2008-09-08 |
| The Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) yesterday asked the Election Commission (EC) not to register Jamaat-e-Islami as the party is not eligible for registration. "Jamaat-e-Islami is not eligible for registration because the party's constitution is in conflict with the criteria laid down in the Representation of the People Ordinance (RPO)," Mujahidul Islam Selim, general secretary of CPB, said. He was talking to reporters after holding talks with the EC. The new RPO provision on registration of political parties says a political party shall not be qualified for registration if any discrimination regarding religion, race, caste, language or sex is apparent in its constitution. Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Inu) also asked the EC not to register those political parties, which opposed the birth of Bangladesh. JSD also asked the EC to bar war criminals -- who were tried under a special tribunal after the independence -- from contesting the polls. On the second day of the talks between the EC and different political parties yesterday, CPB, JSD (Inu) and Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh (BDB) leaders discussed different issues including registration of their parties with the EC. During the talks, CPB and JSD asked the EC to hold the general election first without wasting time on upazila polls. Both parties demanded that the state of emergency be withdrawn to hold a free and fair election. The EC meanwhile talked about relaxing the state of emergency for the polls to which BDB Secretary General Maj (retd) Abdul Mannan said they don't have any objection. Mannan also said that his party would be able to apply for registration within the timeframe given by the commission. But JSD chief Hasanul Haq Inu said it is not possible for JSD to apply within this timeframe. He suggested that some criteria for registration be suspended for the time being. CPB Secretary General Selim said his party is ready to apply for registration but would wait to see how EC accommodates the opinions of the different parties at talks. Liberal Democratic Party, Islami Oikyo Jote (IOJ), Jatiya Party (JP) and Jamaat-e-Islami are scheduled for talks with EC today. However Jamaat and IOJ have decided to boycott the talks like BNP, which boycotted the talks yesterday. |
| Posted by:Fred |