Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman on Monday said the party-led seat-sharing alliance for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election will be finalized and publicly announced within the next one or two days.
Shafiqur Rahman made the remarks following a meeting with a three-member delegation from the European Union Election Observation Mission, led by Chief Observer and Member of the European Parliament Ivars Ijabs, at Jamaat Ameer’s office in Bashundhara, Dhaka around 12:30pm.
Hearing on nomination appeal is underway at the Election Commission and election symbol allocation scheduled to begin on 21 January, followed by campaign activities, the Jamaat chief confirmed that the alliance issue, which has remained unresolved until now, will be clarified shortly.
“You will receive the announcement by tomorrow, or at the latest the day after. We will come together in front of everyone,” he told reporters.
Asked whether the EU would send observers this time, after not doing so in the previous election, Shafiqur Rahman said about 200 observers are expected, covering districts and city corporation areas nationwide.
On the question of post-election dialogue with the BNP regarding the formation of a national government, he emphasised that any engagement would not be unconditional. “Why should it be unconditional? I will not shoulder someone else’s responsibility. We want to move the country toward transparency and accountability,” he said.
Responding to concerns that some administrative officials are acting in favour of the Awami League, the Jamaat leadee expressed confidence that the officials would change their conduct, adding, “Otherwise, they will be compelled to change.”
Jamaat Assistant Secretary General and Head of its Central Publicity and Media Department Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair, educationist Zubair Ahmed, development team leader Dewan Alamgir, and the party Ameer’s foreign affairs adviser Mahmudul Hasan also attended the meeting.
