For the next general elections in Bangladesh, the Pro-Pakistan radical Islamist party, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami (BD JeI), is trying to enter the electoral process under the new banner, Bangladesh Live News reported.
All the political parties in Bangladesh are strategizing their policies to participate in the 12th national elections that are scheduled to take place at the end of 2023.
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami (BD JeI) is infamous for opposing the independence of Bangladesh and supporting the Pakistan Army in the Liberation War of 1971, reported Bangladesh Live News.
Even in 2013, Bangladesh High Court declared the registration of Jamaat-e-Islami illegal and the Election Commission cancelled its registration in 2018 as its charter was not consistent with the Constitution and the spirit of the Liberation War.
However, with the new change in JeI, the party can get the registration, Election Commissioner of Bangladesh Md Alamgir said.
Earlier, Alamgir said that Bangladesh Jamaat-e Islami could get registration under a different name if they fulfil all the conditions. JeI is trying to get registered under the banner of the Bangladesh Development Party (BDP) which has applied for registration with the Election Commission (EC), as per Bangladesh Live News report.
"If now any new political party applies for registration and their charter is consistent with our Constitution and the spirit of the Liberation War, there is no war criminal among them and fulfils all other conditions, you can't brand someone as a Jamaat man," Election Commissioner said.
He, however, said there is no scope for any party to get registered as Jamaat-e-Islami now, United News of Bangladesh reported.
The deadline for new political parties to apply for registration will expire on October 30, according to United News of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh Development Party (BDP) comprises politicians who were once in leadership positions of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami. Md Kazi Nizamul Haque, the party's general secretary, is currently a leader of Jamaat's Dhaka South unit, reported Bangladesh Live News.
This is not the first time that the JeI has tried to re-enter the political process by means of a name change. In 2020, the BD JeI launched a new, separate party named Amar Bangladesh Party (ABP).
Meanwhile, BNP leaders have already rejected the Election Commission's plea to join the parliamentary polls in 2023 and have called for the ouster of the Hasina government.
One of them has even threatened "a repeat of 1975", alluding to the violent coup that killed 16 members of Hasina's family, including her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and small children, as per Bangladesh Live News report.
( With inputs from ANI )
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