No level playing field, law and order deteriorating before polls: Porwar
Mia Golam Porwar says Jamaat has 'full confidence' in the Election Commission in holding the polls and sees no possibility of delays.
Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar has said there is no level playing field ahead of the upcoming national election, also claiming that there has been a "serious deterioration" in law and order even before the polls.
Speaking to reporters this afternoon (8 December) after a meeting with the chief election commissioner at the Election Commission headquarters in Agargaon, Porwar said it would be "very difficult" to address these challenges unless corrective steps are taken before the announcement of the election schedule.
Expressing optimism that the election schedule will be announced this week and that the polls will be held before Ramadan, Porwar said Jamaat has "full confidence" in the Election Commission and sees no possibility of delays.
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However, he stressed that ensuring a free, fair and neutral election is crucial to dispel the "ill repute" of previous polls.
About the EC meeting, he said they discussed several issues, including deployment of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and other law enforcement agencies at polling centres, the role of field administration, recovery of illegal arms, arrest of criminals, facilities for expatriate voters, and installation of CCTV cameras at polling stations.
Earlier, a delegation from the Jamaat-e-Islami sat for a meeting with the CEC.
The meeting began around 11:30am in the conference room of the Election Commission building, with CEC AMM Nasir Uddin and other election commissioners present.
On the other side, a six-member Jamaat delegation led by party Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar joined the talks.
Earlier last week, delegations from the BNP and the NCP held separate meetings with the CEC.
As the election schedule is being prepared, Jamaat has now become the latest political group to meet with the commission. Before this meeting, representatives of the Bangladesh Administrative Service Association met the CEC around 10:30am.
Notably, after a meeting at the Agargaon Election Commission headquarters yesterday (7 December), Election Commissioner Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah told reporters that the schedule for the upcoming national election and the July Charter referendum, to be held on the same day, will be announced within this week.
