JP (Manju) for cancelling franchise of war criminals

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FE Team | Published: October 05, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

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The Election Commission (EC) has been requested to disenfranchise the "war criminals" and debar them from contesting elections.
Leaders of the Jatiya Party (JP) (Manju) made the request Thursday while they met the EC as part of the latter's ongoing dialogue with political parties on electoral reforms, reports UNB.
"Rights of franchise and registration cannot be given to the war criminals of '71, collaborators and who were engaged in crime against humanity," JP Secretary General Sheikh Shahidul Islam told reporters after the meeting.
Asked whether they are against the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh or not, he said they were not speaking about any particular party.
An 11-member JP delegation, led by Sheikh Shahid, mostly consisted of the supporters of the proposed Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), an offspring of the political changes taking place in the country in the interim period.
"It's our party decision to join PDP… But the party (PDP) is yet to be formed," Sheikh Shahid said when asked why they took part in the dialogue under the banner of JP when they support the PDP.
Later in a press briefing, Secretary of the EC Humayun Kabir said they sent the dialogue invitation considering them as the JP.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dr ATM Shamsul Huda chaired the dialogue session. Election commissioners M Sohul Hussain and Brig. Gen. (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain were also present at the meeting.
"We could make the laws unilaterally if we wished… But we aren't doing it since the political parties wouldn't accept it when they would be in power. That is why we are doing it through consultation," CEC Huda told the JP delegation during the discussion.
The JP delegation lent support to the EC proposal for having 33 per cent female representation on political party committees and disbanding parties' student fronts.
They observed that the provision of 'no vote' would not be effective unless exercising the franchise by all at polls would be made mandatory.
The delegation supported the proposal for making registration of the political parties mandatory, but suggested making a different law on it rather than incorporating it in the Representation of People Order (RPO).
The JP leaders did not say anything on the transparent ballot box issue, the EC secretary said, adding that they said the EC could listen to other parties on this score.
They suggested staggered holding of elections on different days in divisions and counting votes in a single day countrywide. Voting can be held again in the postponed polling stations within the time between the day of elections and the vote-counting day.
The delegation spoke against the EC proposal on the ceiling of electoral expenditure. They suggested the EC to direct the contestants to deposit a fixed amount of money with them and spend the money for the contestants' electoral campaign.
The leaders of JP, whose chief Anwar Hossain Manju has been staying abroad in the wake of the political purge, further suggested recognising the registered political parties and their officials at state level.
Talks were focused on changes to the Representation of People Order 1972, the Political Party Registration Rules 2001 and the Election Codes of Conduct 1996. Besides, discussions also took place on a proposal for the use of transparent ballot boxes for polling.
As per the dialogue schedule, the EC would hold its next session with Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Inu) on October 9.