Leaders and activists of July Oikya on Tuesday marched towards the Election Commission (EC) office, demanding the cancellation of nominations of candidates from the Jatiya Party (JaPa), the Awami League-led 14-party alliance and the National Democratic Front (NDF).
The organisation later submitted a memorandum to the EC amid police obstruction.
Around 12:30pm, July Oikya leaders and activists gathered near Agargaon Metro Rail Station. As the procession moved forward and reached the Islamic Foundation area, police obstructed it. Following the obstruction, three representatives of July Oikya went to the Election Building and submitted the memorandum.
Prior to submitting the memorandum, Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (Ducsu) Literature and Cultural Secretary Mosaddek Ali Ibne Mohammad told journalists in front of the Islamic Foundation: “Those who give the Awami League, JaPa and the 14-party alliance a chance to participate in the election are siding with fascism. The Election Commission must understand the language of the people and cancel JaPa’s nominations immediately.”
Police later barricaded the procession at the Islamic Foundation intersection. Tension briefly escalated when some July Oikya activists attempted to break through the barricades, though no untoward incident was reported.
Additional security measures were put in place in and around the Election Commission, with extra law enforcement personnel deployed during the program.
July Oikya leaders demanded a review of the EC’s decision to validate the nominations of candidates from JaPa and allied platforms, alleging that the nominations were accepted despite serious legal and ethical concerns.
What the memorandum says
According to the memorandum, the Awami League-led 14-party alliance carried out genocide during the mass uprising of 2024. It said the Bangladesh that emerged after July 36 (August 5, 2024) aspired to be free from discrimination and fascism, while families of those martyred in the uprising are still seeking justice.
However, the memorandum alleged that political forces involved in the alleged genocide are now contesting the election through independent candidates of the banned Awami League, so-called dummy candidates, JaPa and the NDF.
It claimed that JaPa, led by GM Quader, has fielded candidates in 244 constituencies for the 13th parliamentary election and had cooperated with the Awami League in consolidating what it termed a fascist system over the past 16 years. The memorandum further alleged that JaPa and its allies were complicit in enforced disappearances, killings and repression, and acted against national interests.
Demanding immediate cancellation of what it described as “genocide-linked” nominations, the memorandum also alleged that remnants of authoritarian rule remain entrenched within the administration. It claimed that officials involved in the 2018 night-time voting and the 2024 “dummy election” are still overseeing preparations for the 2026 polls.
July Oikya said fair elections would not be possible under the current administrative setup, alleging that officials accused of ordering gunfire during the mass uprising are now serving as executive officers at the upazila level.
Warning of consequences, the memorandum said failure by the Election Commission to act could undermine the peaceful election environment. It added that July Oikya would not accept what it termed a “Nasir and Madir Commission-style” election process.
