The Jamaat-e-Islami has demanded outlawing the Awami League and its associate fronts, a day after the High Court cancelled its registration, giving rise to widespread calls to ban it.The centre-right outfit claimed the demand to outlaw it by the ruling alliance members were ‘unjust and undemocratic’.
“The Awami League, [its youth front] Juba League, and [student affiliate] Chhatra League should be banned for their involvement in terrorist activities,” party’s Acting Secretary General Rafiqul Islam Khan said in a media statement on Friday.
The High Court on Thursday declared the registration of Jamaat ‘illegal’. The party has moved the Appellate Division challenging the sentence and sought a freeze on execution of the verdict.
Jamaat registered with the Election Commission in 2008 when it was made mandatory for parties interested to contest polls.
The EC then issued repeated reminders for Jamaat to change its charter in keeping with the Constitution but the Islamist party reportedly ignored them.
If the party’s plea is quashed, it will be left with no other option but to amend its charter and apply for registration anew. The process may take time.
Khan claimed government agencies and the ruling party activists had killed around 250 supporters of Jamaat and its student front, Islami Chhatra Shibir, from Feb 28 until now.
He spoke about the killing of Juba League leader Reazuddin Khan Milki in a factional feud as an example of how the Awami League was involved in ‘atrocious activities’.
Jamaat asserted it was a ‘legal political party’. “There’s no question of outlawing it,” its Acting Secretary General said. – bdnews24.com
Our Staff Reporter adds: Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami will stage demonstration throughout the country on Saturday protesting Thursday’s High Court verdict declaring the registration of the party illegal.
Acting secretary general of Jamaat Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan, who announced the programme on Thursday, in a statement on Friday called upon the all units of the party to make the programme a success.
In his statement the Jamaat leader accused the government of hatching multifarious conspiracies to eliminate the party.
He condemned what he said the undemocratic and the unjust demands of a section of 14-party leaders to impose ban on politics of Jamaat.
Khan said the government wants to establish one-party government through declaring the Jamaat registration illegal.
He called upon the countrymen to stand against the government conspiracy.
On Thursday, the Jamaat leader announced the programme hours after the court judgement.
The programme also includes enforcing a non-stop 48 hours hartal beginning at 6:00am on August 12.
