The Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) has demanded the immediate banning of Jamaat-e-Islami and urged authorities to bar the party from participating in the upcoming national elections.
Addressing the CPB’s National Rally at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka on Friday, General Secretary Abdullah Kafi Raton stated, “Jamaat-e-Islami was the enemy of Bangladesh in 1971, yet its electoral registration has been restored. A party that opposed the country’s independence has no right to participate in politics or contest elections.”
He added, “Jamaat must be banned, and 1971 war criminals should be barred from participating in the February 2026 elections.”
Raton also criticised the government for failing to meet the objectives of the July mass uprising, stating, “The uprising has slipped from the hands of the people. The government has taken no steps to ensure the safety of women or minority communities. Instead, a group claiming leadership of the uprising has established a new reign of looting and occupation.”
“Since independence, Bangladesh has never had a truly democratic government. Our party aims to form the first democratic government to build a just and equitable society.”
Former CPB President Mujahidul Islam Selim has warned that the country is facing a deepening crisis.
“The nation is sinking into an all-consuming crisis. Through the Liberation War, we freed Bangladesh from Pakistan’s shackles, not to fall under new chains of Indian or American imperialism,” he said.
Selim added that Bangladesh has repeatedly fallen under authoritarian rule.
“The people have shed blood to overthrow dictators. We do not want to see any new fascist, authoritarian, or dictatorial government. The interim government is repeatedly raising doubts about holding a free, fair, and neutral national election,” he said, calling for the immediate announcement of the election schedule.
Rejecting Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus’s referendum proposal, Selim called it a “fake consensus,” adding that enforcing constitutional orders and seeking legitimacy through a referendum would only deepen the country’s conflict while solidifying the old system under a new guise.
Emeritus Professor Serajul Islam Choudhury criticised country’s current development model as profit-driven and socially unequal, saying it widens the gap between rich and poor. He urged resistance against capitalist development and the bourgeoisie, emphasising that unity and a social revolution are essential to establish true democracy.
Following the rally, a large procession moved through Shahbagh, Bata Signal, Science Lab, Dhaka College, and Gausia Market before returning to Suhrawardy Udyan, where the event concluded.
