Jamaat-e-Islami has urged the Election Commission (EC) to bar leaders and activists of political parties banned from political activities from contesting the upcoming local government elections.
In a letter submitted to the EC on June 30, the party said, “Any office bearer or active member of a political party banned by the government must be declared ineligible to contest elections.”
The proposal was among several recommendations Jamaat made on the draft code of conduct for elections to union parishads, municipalities, city corporations, upazila parishads and zila parishads.
Candidates in local government elections will not use party symbols. We will determine eligibility and disqualification in accordance with the law and rules. Anyone who meets the legal requirements can contest.
Abdur Rahmanel Masud, Election commissioner
Confirming the proposal yesterday, Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Ehsanul Mahboob Zubair told The Daily Star, “One of our proposals is that office bearers of parties banned by the government be declared ineligible to contest. We have placed this proposal before the EC.”
He said the EC has not yet responded, adding that the matter may come up for discussion
The EC published the draft code of conduct for the five tiers of local government on June 10, seeking feedback from political parties and stakeholders by June 30. It emailed 56 registered parties for opinions.
EC officials said they received 14 sets of feedback from parties and organisations, including Jamaat, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, Islamic Front Bangladesh, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), UN Women, and ActionAid.
The commission has yet to make a decision on Jamaat’s proposal. It noted that the upcoming local government elections will be held without party symbols, meaning anyone meeting the legal qualifications will be eligible to contest.
Asked whether leaders and activists of parties banned from political activities, particularly the Awami League, could contest the polls, Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud told The Daily Star, “Candidates in local government elections will not use party symbols. We will determine eligibility and disqualification in accordance with the law and rules. Anyone who meets the legal requirements can contest.”
Masud also said the EC had reviewed the feedback on the draft code of conduct and incorporated only a few minor suggestions. No major changes are expected.
EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed also told The Daily Star that the local government elections would remain non-partisan.
He added that fugitives and those accused under the International Crimes Tribunal Act and the Anti-Terrorism Act will not be allowed to contest.
Independent candidates will no longer need to collect signatures from 1 percent of voters, while the use of posters, electronic voting machines (EVMs) and postal ballots has also been excluded, he added.
