Jamaat wants to join JS polls

Abdur Razzak, assistant secretary general of Jamaat-e-Islami, is pictured briefing journalists at a city hotel today. Photo: TV grab.

Jamaat-e-Islami leaders have discussed with the visiting UN delegation on how the party can take part in the upcoming general election.

“Jamaat cannot join election following a High Court verdict but it is possible to find out a solution,” said party's Assistant Secretary General Abdur Razzak.

Razzak was talking to reporters after a meeting with the six-member UN team, led by Oscar Fernández Taranco, its assistant secretary-general for political affairs.

However, Razzak’s claim about the discussion could not be verified as the UN officials did not brief journalists after the 35-minute meeting starting around 10:05am.

After the meeting with Jamaat leaders, the UN team sat with the leaders of the ruling Awami League at Gulshan residence of Gowher Rizvi, international affairs adviser to the prime minister, around 11:30am.

Veteran AL leaders Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed and Syed Ashraful Islam were present among others at the hour-long meeting that continued till 12:30pm.

Regarding the meeting with UN team, Jamaat’s assistant secretary general Abdur Razzak said the UN delegation expressed concern about the ongoing political violence across the country and wanted to know from the Jamaat leaders how the violence can be stopped.

“We told the UN officials that if a level-playing field for a free, fair, and participatory election is ensured, the ongoing violence will be no more,” Razzak said.

Earlier, the UN delegation held a series of discussions with political leaders including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad and civil society members following the erupting political situation in the country ahead of the 10th parliamentary election.

Taranco arrived in Dhaka Friday night to try to break the political impasse centring on the schedule for next general election slated for January 5.