Leaders of opposition ally Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, the party registration of which was declared illegal by the High Court early August, on Wednesday expressed their resolve to participate in the next general elections if a level-playing field was assured.
Jamaat thinks solution to the prevailing political crisis over polls-time government lies with dialogues between political parties, said Assistant Secretary General Abdur Razzaque after a meeting with the visiting European Union delegation.
Led by William Hanna, EU ambassador to Bangladesh, the team met with Jamaat leaders at Gulshan as a part of its series of meetings with political party leaders regarding the polls.
Hanna later told reporters that they would hold talks with civil society leaders after meetings with political parties.
Asked about the discussion, Jamaat’s Working Committee member Syed Abdullah Md Taher told the Dhaka Tribune that the issues of war crimes trials and release of their leaders facing trial had also been discussed during the meeting.
Razzaque, also the chief counsel for party leaders facing trails for crimes against humanity, told reporters: “Dialogue between the political parties is a must to form a non-partisan caretaker government in the present context of Bangladesh.”
On Jamaat’s registration, he said: “It is a sub judice matter. It will be resolved in the court. But, Jamaat is still a registered political party.”
The High Court on August 1 declared illegal the registration of Jamaat with the Election Commission. The order came following a petition filed in 2009 challenging the legality of Jamaat’s getting the registration since its charter was contradictory with the country’s constitution.
On August 5, the Supreme Court rejected Jamaat’s petition to stay the High Court verdict. Jamaat would appeal to a full bench of the Appellate Division after getting full text of the verdict.
