The New Nation - Internet Edition

Rafiqul Islam Azad

The BNP-led four-party alliance is learnt to be sticking to three demands, the withdrawal of state of emergency, amendment of some provisions of the RPO and deferment of Upazila polls for its participation in the ensuing parliamentary elections.

Insiders said the withdrawal of emergency is considered important to ensure the participation in the elections of at least 26 of BNP’s former ministers and MPs and two former MPs of Jamaat and IOJ and the amendment of the Representation of People Order (RPO) is sought to facilitate the participation of retired civil servants in the polls and ease certain requirements for a candidate.

The seven-point demand of the alliance has been zeroed in on the three demands that has been set as pre-conditions to their joining the elections.

The former ministers and MPs who will not be able to contest the polls due to conviction under the state of emergency include Begum Khaleda Zia’s former political secretary Harris Chowdhury, former ministers-Barrister Nazmul Huda, Barrister Aminul Haque, Shajahan Siraj, Morshed Khan, former state ministers Barrister Shahjahan Omar, Aman Ullah Aman, Mir Mohammad Nasir Uddin, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud and Ziaul Hoque Zia, former MPs-Salauddin Ahmed, Abdul Wadud Bhuiyan, Ali Asgar Lobi, Eng Monjurul Ahsan Munshi, Rashiduzzaman Millat, Helaluzzaman Talukder Lalu, Mosaddek Ali Falu, Hafiz Ibrahim, Advocate Taimur Alam Khandaker and M Naser Rahman.

Among other party leaders, former Jamaat MP Shajahan Chowdhury and former IOJ MP Mufti Shahidul Islam will also be ineligible to fight the polls on the same grounds.

Talking to The New Nation, the leaders of BNP, Jamaat-Islami and Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ) observed that they are ready to take part in the parliamentary polls but they want fulfillment of their demands first.

BNP Vice President and former minister MK Anwar said during the dialogue the government stated that it had agreed to six out of the seven demands.

“Now, it is up to the government to say about implementation of the demands,” he said.

Terming some provisions of the RPO unconstitutional, the BNP leader argued that the provisions should be repealed.

Jamaat-Islami Secretary General and former minister Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mojaheed said the government should implement the demands of the alliance to create a level playing field to hold free, fair and credible elections.

“We are waiting for government response regarding implementation of our demands before taking the decision to participate in the polls,” he categorically said.

Islami Oikya Jote Secretary General Maulana Abdul Latif Nezami alleged that though the government has released many leaders of the Awami League but there are still over fifty alliance leaders in jails.

He termed such behaviour of the government contradictory and emphasised the need for ensuring level playing field for all parties for acceptable polls.