Eight Islamist political parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Andolan Bangladesh, submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission on Thursday, calling for a national referendum by November and the implementation of the July National Charter.
The parties held a brief rally in front of Nirbachan Bhaban in Agargaon, staging their demonstration from a truck-mounted platform near the nearby metro station.
Leaders of Jamaat took the lead at the gathering, pressing for constitutional directives to operationalize the Charter and demanding that a referendum be held before the upcoming general election.
They warned the Election Commission against repeating what they described as the “failures” of the previous commission, insisting that unless all parties are given equal opportunity in the electoral process, the consequences could be far-reaching.
The eight parties - also including Khelafat Majlis, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, Bangladesh Nezam-e-Islam Party, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan, National Democratic Party and Bangladesh Development Party - have been jointly campaigning since September 30.
Their current push centers around five major demands, including electoral reforms and legal accountability for what they termed as crimes committed under the previous regime.
Speaking at the rally, Jamaat’s Assistant Secretary General Abdul Halim, along with senior leaders Mobarak Hossain, Rezaul Karim and Nazimuddin Molla, reiterated the call for a November referendum and equal electoral conditions for all contenders.
Nazimuddin emphasized that all eight parties are united in their message and have formally communicated their demands to the Election Commission.
Leaders from Islami Andolan also voiced support for a timely referendum, accusing major parties like the BNP of advancing self-serving agendas rather than structural reform.
They argued that without immediate constitutional steps, including implementation of proportional representation and clear action against past abuses of power, a credible election would be impossible.
They further urged the EC to take a firm stance against what they described as authoritarian tendencies, including barring parties allegedly aligned with previous regimes accused of suppressing democratic practices.