Jamaat urges EC to allow MPO-listed teachers in local body elections, bar AL leaders

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami today (1 September) demanded that the Election Commission (EC) allow private teachers enlisted under the Monthly Pay Order (MPO) scheme to contest local government elections and bar leaders and activists of Awami League, which faces a ban on its activities, from taking part in the polls.

A six-member Jamaat delegation, led by its Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar, placed a number of demands at a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin and other election commissioners at the Nirbachan Bhaban in Agargaon.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Porwar said the party handed over a written list of nine demands to the EC and discussed the issues in detail.

"Our first important demand is to allow MPO-listed teachers to participate in local elections. There are more than 30,000 such teachers in the country. They were previously allowed to vote and contest elections," he said.

The Jamaat leader strongly protested a recommendation to disqualify MPO-listed teachers from contesting local body elections, saying it is discriminatory and contrary to Articles 27 and 28 of the Constitution.

"A person can contest a parliamentary election but cannot contest a Union Parishad election — this is discriminatory," he said, demanding withdrawal of the recommendation.

As its second demand, Jamaat called for barring leaders and office-bearers of any political party whose activities were banned by the government from contesting local elections, apparently referring to Awami League.

"If the leader or office-bearers of a political party whose activities were banned by the government participate in a local body election, it should be considered political activity. So, they should not be allowed to participate in the election," Porwar said.

He said Jamaat also raised concerns over the political affiliation of recently appointed EC Additional Secretary Shamsul Alam.

Noting that Shamsul Alam previously served on an election-related committee of a political party, the Jamaat leader said, "We told the Election Commission that such an appointment to a constitutional institution should not be made as it raises questions about the institution's neutrality."

Jamaat also objected to the appointment of politically affiliated persons as administrators of various local government bodies, including Zila Parishad, Upazila Parishad, city corporations and development authorities.

"We fear that these appointments are creating opportunities for them to prepare the ground [in favour of the ruling party men] for the upcoming local body elections," he said.

The opposition demanded that those who have served as administrators of such institutions be barred from contesting the upcoming local elections, even if they resign from their posts after the election schedule is announced.

It also urged the EC to prevent ministers, MPs and other important government officials from participating in campaigns for local body polls.