The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Maulana Motiur Rahman Nizami yesterday said the repetition of pre-1/11 situation was undesirable.

Addressing a meeting of the party's highest policymaking body, Majlish-e-Shura, at Al Falah auditorium in Magbazar in the city, he called upon all concerned for self-criticism on why and for what circumstances the President had declared the state of emergency resulting in the January 22 election, last year, cancelled.

"Everybody should look into the context of emergency and seek self-purification," he observed. He explained that the state of emergency was declared in the country due to an unavoidable situation without holding the general election on January 22 last year.

The Jamaat Ameer suggested for the practice of politics based on understanding and tolerance for greater national interests.

The Jamaat leader called upon the government for holding the general election in the country as per the roadmap announced by the Election Commission (EC) earlier.

"We hope a free, fair, credible and acceptable election will he held in the country on schedule," he said.

He also urged the government to remove all suspicions and doubts about holding the election.

The Jamaat leader mentioned that the January 22 election could not be held due to the "controversial role" of the then Election Commission (EC) and inaccuracy in the voter lists and suggested that the reconstituted EC has to be kept above all debates so that there is no obstacle to holding a free and fair election.

Criticising the demand for ban on religion-based politics, he said the Islamic ideology is being belittled and the growth of flourishing Islamic policies and values impeded through what he said such 'unrealistic' demand.

The demand will not have been made if it was considered that the Islamic politics can play an effective role in establishing good governance, transparency and accountability in the country, he observed.

Expressing his concern over price hike of essential commodities, including rice, the Jamaat Ameer said there is 'panic' amid a stagnant economic situation prevailing in the country and an abnormal price-hike of daily necessities like rice is seen everyday.

"All should take responsible role to reduce the people's sufferings so that no untoward incident occurs over the food prices," he said adding, "It is the government responsibility to remove the panic."

He urged the Government to take urgent steps to import rice and launch development activities, including agriculture rehabilitation and food for work programmes in the cyclone-ravaged areas.

The Jamaat Ameer proposed the authorities concerned to introduce food for work programme to accelerate the rehabilitation work in `Sidr'-hit areas of the country.

Among others, Senior Nayeb-e-Ameer of Jamaat Maulana Abul Kalam Mohammad Yusuf, Nayeb-e-Ameers-Maqbul Ahmed and Prof. AKM Nazir Ahmed, Secretary General Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mojaheed, Maulana Abdus Sobhan and Maulana Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, attended the meeting.