Dr Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, Nayeb-e-Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami, said that the chief adviser has broken his promise by announcing the election roadmap, describing it as a “blueprint designed to undermine a free and fair election.”
He made these comments on Friday morning while delivering the keynote address at a meeting of election officials from Kalibazar Union in Comilla, held at the auditorium of Comilla Central Medical College.
He said that the chief adviser announced the election date even before reaching a final decision on reforms and the judiciary has not yet become visibly active. In the meantime, it appears that he may be yielding to certain forces, moving toward a premeditated election, which has raised concerns among the public.
The interim government had committed to maintaining neutrality, implementing reforms, ensuring visible justice and conducting elections.
However, the chief adviser, by breaking his promise, has announced the election date prematurely.
Dr Taher further said that Jamaat has no objection to holding elections in February and the party is preparing for the polls scheduled for February 15.
However, he emphasized that certain issues must be resolved to ensure a free and fair election.
Among these, the July Charter must be given legal recognition and the February elections must be conducted based on it.
Announcing an election roadmap without addressing these matters, he said, constitutes a blueprint to undermine a free and fair election.
He added that Jamaat would not allow this to happen and would compel the government and the Election Commission to ensure that the elections are held according to the July Charter and through the proportional representation (PR) system.
He also criticized the Election Commission for announcing the roadmap without deciding between the previous traditional system and the newly proposed PR system, calling it a serious violation.
For this reason, he urged the Election Commission to seek forgiveness from the people of the country.
