Parties to ask EC to ban war criminals from polls

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Most of the political parties selected for electoral reform talks with the Election Commission (EC), plan to ask the electoral authority to include provisions in the laws disqualifying the anti-liberation forces and war criminals from contesting in polls.

If the majority of the participants submit the same proposal on the issue, the EC might consider the proposal quite seriously, and in case of its inability to incorporate the proposal into the upcoming new electoral law, it will publicise ample clarifications for its failure, senior officials in the EC Secretariat said referring to the commission’s adopted policies for the talks.

The EC that began the much awaited electoral talks on September 12, selecting 15 political parties for the dialogues, decided to disclose a report on the outcome once the process comes to a conclusion.

Before the talks began, Chief Election Commissioner (ATM) Shamsul Huda had repeatedly clarified the EC’s plans regarding its course of actions. “The Election Commission will finalise the proposal for electoral reforms after taking opinions from the political parties,” CEC Huda said on Sunday.

On the second day of the talks on Sunday, Krishak Sramik Janata League (KSJL) raised with the EC the long-standing popular demand for disqualifying the anti-liberation forces from contesting in the polls, including Jamaat-e-Islami.

On March 27, when some freedom fighters at a tea party demanded that the war criminals be prosecuted, Chief of the Army Gen Moeen U Ahmed said he would raise the issue in government circles.

While talking to senior leaders of the political parties, it was learnt that they also decided to make the same proposal to the EC for disqualifying the anti-liberation forces and war criminals from contesting in the upcoming parliamentary poll.

In defence of their proposals, they argued that there is no bar now on taking actions against the war criminals, who were not tried in the last three decades.

Senior Awami League (AL) Presidium Member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury yesterday lent her strong voice to KSJL leader Quader Siddiqui, in urging the caretaker government not to allow Jamaat-e-Islami to participate in elections and to bring the war criminals in it to justice, for the crime of opposing the Liberation War.

“I agree with Krishak Sramik Janata League President Quader Siddiqui on his proposal for not allowing Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh to participate in elections,” she said at the Dhanmondi office of AL in the capital, while launching a probe into the incident of the party’s dissident leaders being manhandled by some of its activists.

“We will definitely propose to the Election Commission for making legal provisions disqualifying the anti-liberation forces and war criminals from contesting in polls,” AL Presidium Member Matia Chowdhury also said yesterday.

Matia said AL-led 14-party coalition disclosed a set of electoral reform proposals on July 15, 2005 in which was a provision for disqualifying the war criminals from contesting in polls.

“We will not retreat from our stance when we will go for the talk with the commission,” the AL leader asserted. AL is scheduled to have its talk with the EC on November 4.

BNP Chairperson’s Adviser Brig Gen (retd) ASM Hannan Shah said he personally fully supports the proposal made by KSJL chief Quader Siddiqui.

“War criminals, found guilty by courts, should not be allowed to contest in polls. They should also be barred from engaging in politics in Bangladesh,” Hannan said.

Asked whether his party will raise the proposal in line with his expressed sentiment, the BNP chief’s adviser said his party has yet to decide whether it will sit in a dialogue with the EC at all. “A collective decision will be made if we decide to join the talks,” he added. BNP is scheduled to have its talk with the EC on November 22.

Now expelled BNP Joint Secretary General Ashraf Hossain, who along with other BNP leaders is working for bringing reforms to the party under the leadership of now expelled BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, with the claim that they represent the mainstream of the party, said they have yet to discuss the issue among themselves.

Former lawmaker GM Quader, also a presidium member of Jatiya Party (Ershad), which is scheduled to sit for its talk with the EC on September 27, said the war criminals should be tried and declared disqualified from engaging in politics.

On the anti-liberation forces, Quader said if the anti-liberation forces seek apology for their wrongdoings, only then their eligibility for engaging in politics should be considered.

Jatiya Party (Monju) Secretary General Sheikh Shahidul Islam said they will propose to make legal provisions so that persons charged with murder, rape, and arson during the liberation war may not contest in polls. “We want a national unity excluding the anti-liberation forces and war criminals,” he said. Jatiya Party (Manju) is scheduled to have its talk with the EC on October 4.

Chief of the Jatiya Party of Bangladesh Naziur Rahman Manzur, whose party is a component of BNP-Jamaat-led four-party alliance, however said they will not propose to disqualify the war criminals from contesting in polls, rather they will ask the EC to ensure participation of all political parties in the upcoming parliamentary election.

Hasanul Haque Inu, chief of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), which is a component of AL-led 14-party coalition, said they will demand for disqualifying all religion based political parties from contesting in polls. JSD is scheduled to have its talk with the EC on October 9.

Nurul Islam, the chief of another component of 14-party coalition, Ganotantri Party, said it is the proper time to disqualify the war criminals from contesting in polls by brining reforms to the electoral laws. Ganotantri Party is scheduled to have its electoral reform talk with the EC on September 20.

Two other components of 14-party coalition, Workers Party and Samyabadi Dal are scheduled to have their talks with the EC on November 11 and November 22 respectively, when both the parties plan to propose for disqualifying the war criminals.

The Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) at a meeting in February with the CEC already raised the demand. CPB is schedule to sit with the EC for its talk on November 25.

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