Jamaat expresses confidence in the EC's timely election plan

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar said on Monday that the party is fully confident in the Election Commission's (EC) ability to hold a free, fair, and neutral national election within the timeframe it has set.

"The party delegation met with the Commission to seek clarity on several issues ahead of the next national elections," he told reporters following a formal meeting with the Election Commission at its headquarters in the capital's Agargaon area.

Parwar stated, "Several important issues regarding the upcoming election required clarification. The Commission has assured us that the elections will take place on the dates announced. "We want to trust them based on their commitments," he said.

"We do not expect any delays in the election," the Jamaat-e-Islami leader added.

He clarified that the meeting was not organised out of distrust in the Election Commission. Rather, he claimed, there was a public perception that the EC was taking longer to announce the election schedule.

"We held this discussion to address that concern," Golam Porwar explained.

He stated that the Commission informed them that preparations for a fair and neutral election were underway and expressed optimism that the schedule would be announced this week.

"They made a specific decision on this matter. According to their promise, the national election will be held before the holy month of Ramadan, and the country is waiting for that date," he stated.

The Jamaat leader stated that Monday's discussion included issues such as the deployment of BGB and armed forces at polling stations, ensuring the neutrality of field administration, concerns raised about senior officials involved in election duties, and the recovery of illegal firearms.

He stated that the party also discussed expatriate voting facilities and reiterated its support for installing CCTV cameras at polling stations to improve transparency.

"A truly neutral national election is critical for democracy, peace, order, and a smooth transition of power. If necessary, donor agencies can be contacted for assistance," he added.

Porwar also stated that the delegation presented specific evidence about issues that undermine a level playing field. "We urged the Commission to take decisive actions to resolve these problems," he said, adding that the CEC

The EC assured them that once the election schedule is announced, it will use its authority to ensure neutrality, including making administrative reshuffles as needed.

He added that the CEC has assured him that any anomalies in recent administrative reshuffles will be corrected as soon as complaints are received.

The six-member Jamaat delegation included Assistant Secretaries General ATM Masum, Dr AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad, and Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair; Publicity Secretary Matiur Rahman Akanda; and Advocate Jasim Uddin Sarkar, President of the Bangladesh Lawyers Council.