The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mujaheed yesterday said the parties that believe in secularism and communism should not get registration from the Election Commission as per article 8 (1) of the Constitution.

The article says the principles of absolute trust and faith in the Almighty Allah, nationalism, democracy and socialism meaning economic and social, together with the principles derived from them as set out in this part, shall constitute the fundamental principles of state policy.

Addressing a press conference at the party's central office, Mujaheed said as per the Constitution, Islamic parties should get advantage for the registration, but the Election Commission (EC) seems hostile towards religious parties. The glaring example is the CEC's statement about Jamaat during the last Ramadan.

Replying to a question about registration of Awami League and other parties, Mujaheed said Jamaat is a democratic party and it did not oppose registration of other political parties.

He alleged that the CEC and EC's role are not neutral. The EC's activities prove that they want to install Awami League in power.

Mujaheed said the CEC's political identity is clear from a statement about 1970 and 2001 general elections. He said though the election of 1970 was one sided, the EC wants to hold the Dec 18 election like that of 1970.

He said the CEC spoke against the general election in 2001 which was recognized as free and fair both at home and abroad and the BNP-led four-party alliance had won the election.

Mujaheed said the EC had set dialogue in such a manner so that Al-led 14-party combine could take part in the dialogue, excluding religious parties. He said the Commission was compelled to invite Jamaat and Islamic Oikya Jote, and other religious parties got the chance to join the dialogue on request.

The Jamaat leader said the RPO provisions relating to party registration are illegal and undemocratic.

He apprehended that some groups, who want to form national government, want to foil the Dec 18 elections. The Commission's role also contributes towards creating uncertainty about the elections.

Although the Chief Adviser vowed to hold the election on the schedule date in his speech at the UN general assembly, Mujaheed said, uncertainty and conspiracy against the elections are surfacing day by day.