The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Jamaat-e-Islami yesterday termed the demand for banning the politics based on religion un-constitutional.

Party Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed was talking to journalists following the dialogue with the Election Commission (EC) on electoral reforms.

Replying to a question, the Jamaat leader said that there was no war criminal and anti-liberation element in the country. "There was no war criminal and anti-liberation element in the past and there were also none at present," he said.

He also termed the allegation of war criminal against Jamaat imaginary, fabricated and baseless.

During the dialogue, the 10-member Jamaat delegation headed by Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed expressed their apprehension on completion of preparing of the voter list with photographs in accordance with the roadmap.

They suggested the EC to increase manpower to complete the preparation of voter list by June next. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dr ATM Shamsul Huda, who presided over the meeting, said that political impasse was created in the past due to different mistakes done by the political parties. He said it would be good not to receive such demand that cannot be resolved by the Commission. Election Commissioner Brigadier General (Retd) M Shakhawat Hossain and Sohul Hussain were also present during the meeting.

The Jamaat delegation proposed not to impose any condition to register any political party to compete the next elections. They observed all the political parties should be given the opportunity to be registered if they want to participate in the coming elections. Though the Jamaat extended its support to women leadership at all level but proposed allowing political parties this time to decide the ratio of the women leadership.

Ali Ahsan Mojaheed said importance should be given on the opinion of majority of people and the matter should be looking into so that none can talk in the lection process that goes against the constitution.

Replying to a question he said all the war criminals during the war of liberation war were the members of Pakistani Army.

"Late Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had identified 195 persons as war criminals and pardoned them through the Simla Treaty in presence of Indira Gandhi and Julfiqar Ali Bhutto, he said.

Asked to comment on Jamaat role during the war of liberation, the Jamaat leader parried the answer saying that it is known to all.

He called upon all not to talk distort the past history and said the present situation has been created due to irresponsible role of responsible political parties.

The Jamaat proposed to preserve the electoral symbols, which were used by the political parties earlier.

Regarding opposition of some parties not to provide Jamaat electoral symbol scale the Jamaat leader said it has already been settled in the court.

Jamaat also proposed increase of expenses of candidates from Tk 5,00,000 to Tk 25,00,000 and not to introduce 'NO' vote in the next elections.

The Jamaat delegates include Maulana Delwar Hossain Saidee, Maulana Abdus Sobhan, Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, Abdul Quader Mollah, ATM Azharul Islam and Barrister Abdur Razzak.

Meanwhile, the work for a pilot project for voter list with photographs and national ID cards began yesterday at Dania, Dakkhin Khan and Kamrangir Char in Dhaka district.

Chief of General Staff of Army Major General Sina Ibn Jamali inaugurated the project at Dania, which envisages registering 88,477 voters and preparing national ID cards in the area, an ISPR press release said.

Alongside the army, the City Corporation, district administration and local public representatives are helping the Election Commission in implementing the project.

The project would continue until November 16. During the 23 days, the work would be completed at 24 registration centres in 20 voting areas.

The 14 independent engineering brigade, 6 independent ADA brigade of Bangladesh Army using 140 laptops would provide all-out assistance to the Election Commission for completion of the project.

The server room and information centre of the project has been opened at the Panchayet Community Centre of Jatrabari.

Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda inaugurated the pilot project at Kamrangir Char while Election Commissioner Brigadier General (Retd) M Shakhawat Hossain at Dakhhin Khan.