Islami Andolan Bangladesh has rejected the Election Commission’s newly announced electoral work plan, calling it an attempt to restore the “old political arrangement” while ignoring the July uprising and people’s sacrifices.
Reacting to the announcement on Thursday, the party’s Joint Secretary General and spokesperson Maulana Gazi Ataur Rahman, said while elections are crucial in a modern nation-state, the country is currently passing through a blood-stained phase.
“On July 24, students and the public sacrificed their blood and lives to rid the nation of 54 years of political debris and to achieve permanent freedom from authoritarianism. Announcing an election roadmap under the old arrangement without presenting a roadmap for reforms is nothing but a denial of July,” he said.
Ataur Rahman added that the nation has long been waiting for reforms in the constitution and political culture. Though initiatives have been taken, those efforts remain on paper, and no fundamental reform has been implemented.
Highlighting unresolved issues, the spokesperson noted no decision has been taken on the legal basis of the July Charter, constitutional provisions allowing authoritarianism remain intact, and electoral reforms have not been carried out.
He further argued that EC has no moral authority to announce an electoral roadmap while issues like adopting a proportional representation (PR) system remain unsettled.
“Many political parties are demanding PR. But the work plan contains no schedule to discuss this demand, nor does it mention the possible date of election announcement. What has been presented is largely routine work of the Commission. This appears to be an effort to bury discussions on the July Charter’s legal basis and PR,” Ataur remarked.
He concluded by urging the Election Commission to announce without delay a roadmap for the July Charter’s implementation. “Otherwise, the very objectives of the July uprising will fail, and Islami Andolan Bangladesh will not allow that to happen,” the spokesperson warned.