Jamaat presence at EC meet resented
Sunday, 30 May 2010
The presence of representatives from the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh at an Election Commission (EC) programme aroused resentment among the high-profile leaders of the other invited political parties, reports bdnews24.com. Law Minister Shafique Ahmed, chief guest of the occasion, told the news agency that despite being reluctant to attend because of the presence of the Jamaat, he felt he had to attend the programme as he was requested to come by the chief election commissioner.
Top leaders of the Bangladesh Workers' Party and the Communist Party of Bangladesh also said they would not have attended the programme if they had known about Jamaat's presence.
No representatives from the ruling Awami League (AL) and the main opposition BNP were present at the programme organised jointly by the EC and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) at a city hotel Saturday.
All the political parties that were registered with the EC were invited to attend the programme.
Jamaat, also a registered party, is accused of having a controversial role with some of its leaders accused of having committed war crimes during the liberation war in 1971.
On condition of anonymity, a law ministry official said that the minister wanted to turn his car back on hearing about Jamaat's presence at the programme.
Regarding the issue, the law minister said, "At first, I decided not to attend the programme, but as the CEC requested and many foreign guests were also invited there, I had to go."
CEC ATM Shamsul Huda, two commissioners Sohul Hossain and M Shakhawat Hossain and UNDP resident representative Stephen Pritzner were sitting on the main platform along with the minister.
Jamaat Chief Matiur Rahman Nizami and his Deputy Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, Workers' Party Chief Rashed Khan Menon, CPB President Manjurul Ahsan Khan, Prof Mozaffar Ahmed and Writer Abul Maksud were present, among others, on the occasion.
"We would not have attended if we were informed of Jamaat's presence," added CPB chief.
Mr Khan said, "Nizami and Mojaheed are alleged to be war criminals. If the fifth amendment (of the constitution) is cancelled, its registration also will be cancelled."
Mr Maksud said, "The EC can invite Jamaat as a registered political party".
Top leaders of the Bangladesh Workers' Party and the Communist Party of Bangladesh also said they would not have attended the programme if they had known about Jamaat's presence.
No representatives from the ruling Awami League (AL) and the main opposition BNP were present at the programme organised jointly by the EC and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) at a city hotel Saturday.
All the political parties that were registered with the EC were invited to attend the programme.
Jamaat, also a registered party, is accused of having a controversial role with some of its leaders accused of having committed war crimes during the liberation war in 1971.
On condition of anonymity, a law ministry official said that the minister wanted to turn his car back on hearing about Jamaat's presence at the programme.
Regarding the issue, the law minister said, "At first, I decided not to attend the programme, but as the CEC requested and many foreign guests were also invited there, I had to go."
CEC ATM Shamsul Huda, two commissioners Sohul Hossain and M Shakhawat Hossain and UNDP resident representative Stephen Pritzner were sitting on the main platform along with the minister.
Jamaat Chief Matiur Rahman Nizami and his Deputy Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, Workers' Party Chief Rashed Khan Menon, CPB President Manjurul Ahsan Khan, Prof Mozaffar Ahmed and Writer Abul Maksud were present, among others, on the occasion.
"We would not have attended if we were informed of Jamaat's presence," added CPB chief.
Mr Khan said, "Nizami and Mojaheed are alleged to be war criminals. If the fifth amendment (of the constitution) is cancelled, its registration also will be cancelled."
Mr Maksud said, "The EC can invite Jamaat as a registered political party".