Islami Oikya Jote urges quick elections after reforms
Staff Correspondent
Islami Oikya Jote has called for early national elections following urgent electoral reforms, saying the timeline between June and December makes little difference if fair polls are ensured.
The party’s General Secretary, Mufti Sakhawat Hossain Razi, made the remarks on Monday after meeting Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin and other Election Commission members at the Election Commission headquarters in Dhaka.
“We believe elections should be held as soon as possible,” Razi told reporters. “Without reforms, elections risk being influenced by muscle power and black money. Structural changes must be introduced to ensure credible and participatory polls.”
The Islami Oikya Jote also submitted documentation regarding the formation of its new committee, which was elected during its council session on September 5 last year.
“We had not previously submitted the new committee to the EC, but we felt the delay was unnecessary,” Razi added.
Referring to remarks by the CEC suggesting elections could be held any time between June and December, Razi said, “There’s not much difference between June and December.”
He further emphasized that reforms are essential to dismantle what he described as "16 years of political malpractice" and to prevent authoritarian tendencies in future governments.
Razi also said internal divisions within Islami Oikya Jote had been resolved. “There is no more division in our party. The council has restructured the committee, and we are united moving forward.”
