The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami did not attend the hearing of the objections made against it to the Election Commission on Saturday and requested the EC for extension of five more days for preparation saying that they had received the letter late. Earlier the Jamaat accused the Election Commission of creating vicious atmosphere by inviting their opponents in the hearing on the same day.

The EC heard the proof of war crimes that was submitted by the War Crimes Facts Finding Committee. Chief Election Commissioner along with the two other Commissioners conducted the two-hour hearing of the EC. Apart from the Fact Finding Committee, the Sector Commanders' Forum, Muktijoddha Sangshad, Bangladesh Sangskritik Jote, Projanmo 71, Ghatok Dalal Nirmul Committee and Amra Muktijoddhar Santan also attended the hearing .

A letter from Jamaat-e-Islami quoted a statement of the CEC, made on October 23, that there were no major obstacles to the registration of Awami League, BNP, Jatiya Party and Jamaat-e-Islami, among others, as they had "fulfilled all registration conditions." Jamaat's letter further quoted the CEC as saying: "It is the legal responsibility of the commission to get them registered without delay."

According to political observers, the situation has become complex adding to speculation that holding of election on schedule might become uncertain.

In another development making the work of the EC more difficult Begum Khaleda Zia has accused the Election Commission on Friday of being biased in favour of a party and demanded the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner and the two other commissioners.

She also blamed them for creating a confrontational atmosphere at a time when the commission was busy making preparation to hold election. The commission has decided to comply with the verdict of the High Court regarding the delimitation of constituencies. The accusation by BNP chief may give jolt to the preparatory works by the commission to hold election, according to observers.

Following the remarks made by Begum Khaleda Zia, Zillur Rahman, Acting Chief of Awami League charged that BNP was trying to wreck the general election.

The registration imbroglio planted another roadblock on way to the envisaged December 18 national elections after the delimitation dispute that forced the EC to withhold declaration of the poll scheduled today.

The organizations, comprising mainly war heroes, threatened to go to the higher court for cancellation of the registration through submitting legal facts and documents if the Election Commission allowed the party for registration.

Party registration is a prerequisite for contesting the coming polls under the reformed politico-electoral rules made by the interim regime against the backdrop of past crisis. But the EC has so far given registration certificate to only two from a long list of 107 parties.

The Election Commission summoned the two warring sides to yesterday's hearing at the EC secretariat to decide whether Jamaat should get registered or not with the commission. But Jamaat leaders were absent, with a claim that they had received the EC invitation letter too late.

Jamaat leader Jasimuddin Sarker in the morning submitted application and demanded of the commission to give them five days time to attend the hearing with preparation.

Jasimuddin told reporters that his party received the EC invitation letter at 8:15pm Thursday and they could not decide as the party's Amir and the secretary general were outside Dhaka.

As such, he said, the party applied to the commission for deferring the hearing by five days.

Terming Jamaat as a war-criminal organization, national professor Kabir Chowdhury from the 71'Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee said, "The Jamaat legally and humanitarianly cannot get registration as its amended constitution remains irrelevant with the constitution of Bangladesh."

Prof Muntasir Mamun said Jamaat is a foreign branch of the Indian organization and it wants to establish 'religiocracy (theocracy)'.

"Religiocracy and democracy cannot go hand in hand," he said.

Air vice-martial (retd) AK Khandker from the Sector Commanders Forum said Jamaat has talked against the liberation war for 37 years.

Replying to a question he said the Election Commission told them that it would take decision about Jamaat's registration after considering all evidences submitted against the party.

He said if the commission allowed Jamaat for registration as political party, his organization would go to the court. "We'll never accept the registration of Jamaat," he said.

Dr Hassan from War Crime Fact Finding Committee said Jamaat has been working in Bangladesh to implement foreign agenda. "The EC cannot give the verdict. If Jamaat is registered with the commission, we'll go to the higher court with more proven documents," he said in reply to a question.

Barrister Tania Amir said according to the Representation of People Order, Jamaat cannot get registration as in its party constitution it does not recognize country's judiciary.

However, there was no comment from the election commission on this score.

Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda-already facing the problem of missing today's date for announcing election schedule and the October 30 party-registration timeline-avoided reporters' queries, saying that they would not talk anything about this issue.

"We haven't taken any decision till now. We'll not tell anything today," he said in reply to more questions.

Meanwhile, the EC through hearing Saturday settled the dispute over the names and symbols of Bangladesh Jatiya Party's two splinters led by Abdul Matin and Andalib Rahman Partha.

The EC allocated the name Bangladesh Jatiya Party for the faction led by Matin while Bangladesh Jatiya Party-BJP for Andalib Rahman Partha' s.

Both factions' delegations expressed satisfaction over the decision made by the Election Commission.