Bangladesh Aam Jonogon Party (BAJP) staged a demonstration in front of the Election Commission (EC) building on Saturday to demand immediate registration, issuing a 24-hour ultimatum to the commission.
The protest commenced on Saturday afternoon as a procession of more than 50 party leaders and activists marched from the China-Bangladesh Friendship Conference Centre towards the EC headquarters.
Upon arrival, the marchers were met with police barricades, which led the protesters to take up positions and continue their demonstration at the main gate.
Following the initial standoff, a nine-member delegation, led by the party’s Member Secretary Fatima Tasnim, entered the EC premises intending to meet with the chief election commissioner (CEC) or the secretary.
However, as the CEC, the four election commissioners, and the secretary were all absent from their workplace, the delegation was escorted to meet Joint Secretary Md Moin Uddin Khan.
The Aam Jonogon Party delegation refused to meet the joint secretary and left the building.
Speaking to the media after exiting, Fatima Tasnim expressed her frustration, stating that they were directed to stand outside the joint secretary’s door despite being told they would meet the commission.
She referred to the officials as “agents” and accused the CEC and the secretary of non-cooperation.
“We have endured the dilly-dallying of this agent CEC and the Secretary for a long time. We will not tolerate it anymore,” Tasnim said.
She announced that if a decision regarding the party’s registration is not reached within 24 hours, their programme will continue; otherwise, it will be withdrawn. She further asserted that the sit-in programme would remain in place until the registration is secured.
As part of the ongoing protest, party activists threw rotten eggs at the effigies of the CEC and the Secretary in front of the EC building.
