The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The Election Commission at its dialogue with Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Inu) yesterday agreed in principle to ban religion-based politics in the country constitutinally.

The EC also agreed in principle to make war criminals as well as anti-liberation forces (individuals or institutions) ineligible to contest elections.

"Today, we reached a consensus in principle to ban religion-based politics… Now we'll have to see how it can be made effective," Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dr ATM Shamsul Huda told the JSD delegation at the dialogue.

A 12-member JSD (Inu) delegation, led by its president Hasanul Huque Inu, yesterday morning sat with the EC to discuss draft reform proposals on electoral laws.

The demand for banning religion-based politics and preventing war criminals as well as anti-liberation individuals or institutions from contesting elections is growing since the EC has started its dialogue with selected 15 political parties on September 12.

Earlier, the EC sat with seven political parties -- Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ), Krishak Sramik Janata League (KSJL), Ganotantri Party, Jatiya Party (Manju), Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Rab), Jamaat-e-Islami

Bangladesh and National Awami Party (NAP-Muzaffar). They all, excepting the IOJ and Jamaat, suggested a ban on any religion-based political party and anti-liberation forces, mentioning the name of only Jamaat.

"The Election Commission will look into the issue with importance," Huda told the JSD delegation when it placed their proposal for debarring war criminals and anti-liberation elements from contesting elections. Quoting the Constitution, the JSD delegation said doing politics in the name of religion is illegal and religion cannot be used for gaining political purposes.

The JSD leaders said it is the duty of the EC to uphold the Constitution and it would be violation of their (Commissioners) constitutional oath if they allow religion-based political parties to get registered.

"The Constitution (Article 66) has to be amended for making war criminals and anti-liberation forces ineligible… The matter can be treated as academic one, but won't be effective," Election Commissioner M Sohul Hussain told the delegation.

Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain was also present at the dialogue.

"We dislike the war criminals and anti-liberation forces, they are hated persons… But it's difficult to take legal action against them… We need evidence, court orders, specific evidence to disqualify any contestant," CEC Huda told the JSD leaders.

Banning the war criminals and anti-liberation elements is largely a political matter to which the EC got involved somehow, he said, adding that somehow it couldn't do it in 36 years (of independence).

"Meanwhile, the Law Adviser said the matter has got complicated in the course of time. It's true… Resolving the issue is more of a major duty of the government than the Election Commission. We'll do whatever falls under our jurisdiction."

CEC Huda said the EC would prepare some specific matters in consultation with all the political parties and compile their suggestions. "And the reform proposals will be finalized after sitting with the political parties all together once again."

Emerging from the dialogue, JSD president Inu told the newsmen that the EC should have power to ban religion-based political parties.

"The next elections should be free from war criminals and anti-liberation elements… They're beyond mercy."

"The Election Commission will send its recommendations to the President in this regard and the government will implement those," he added.

Mentioning the name of Jamaat, Inu said the party is an identified party that committed war crimes directly opposing the country's liberation war and "raping women, committing massacres, looting and arson attacks in the name of religion in 1971".

However, the JSD delegation placed some new proposals on electoral reforms at the dialogue, though they agreed on most of the EC's proposals like banning student and other professional front organizations as well as foreign units of political parties.

But they were against the proposals of using traditional ballot boxes, disclosing the sources of electoral donations from any individual or institution, and direct as well as secrete balloting within parties for picking up leaders for elections.

JSD suggested introduction of representative government system based on the proportion of obtained votes instead of constituency-based elections, not having the provision to contest by one candidate from more than one constituencies, holding elections in more thanone days and electing president based on the cast votes of all the representatives, including the local body.

Suggestions were also made to keep aside 100 constituencies for women for direct contest, delimitating constituencies, making the EC fully independent and formulating voter list for the Chittagong Hill Tracts as per the CHT peace treaty.

The EC will sit with Jatiya Party (Ershad) on November 1, Bangladesh Awami League on Nov 4, Workers Party on Nov 11, Bangladesh Jatiya Party (Naziur) on Nov 15, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on November 22, CPB on Nov 25 and Samyabadi Dal on Nov 29.