Environment not conducive to polls yet

The current political atmosphere is not yet suitable for a free and fair national election, Syed Abdullah Md Taher, nayeb-e-ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami, said yesterday.

"I believe the upcoming election is unlikely to be completely fair and impartial under present circumstances. We're already witnessing incidents of poll-related violence in various constituencies. Recently, Jamaat's office in Pabna's Atghoria was torched."

Taher made the remarks at the second round of talks with the National Consensus Commission held at the LD Hall of the National Parliament to build consensus around key reform proposals

Calling for institutional changes to ensure credible polls, the Jamaat leader said, "We must establish a system that guarantees fair and accurate elections. Whatever it takes to achieve must be done."

Raising concerns over Election Commission's ability to play an effective role, he said, "The concept of a level playing field is not something to address only on election day -- it needs to be created well in advance. The government should act now, especially in areas where there is risks of violence or political clashes."

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Jamaat joins talks with consensus commission

Stressing the importance of fair polls, Taher said, "The political turmoil caused by the last three elections played a major role in destabilising the country. To overcome this, a credible election is essential."

Taher also expressed concern over the absence of a clear election timeline, which he said was contributing to unease among political parties.

On the need for consensus in the interest of the nation, he said, "What serves the nation best should be our priority. That's why, based on dialogue, we have supported common ground and changed our position where necessary."

Chaired by NCC Vice President Prof Ali Riaz, the dialogue was also attended by Election Reform Commission Chief Badiul Alam Majumdar and Anti-Corruption Reform Commission Chief Iftekharuzzaman, among others.

In his opening remarks, Ali Riaz said the meeting aimed to conclude the initial phase of discussions with Jamaat.

"We reached consensus on many issues during the first round, though disagreements remain on others."

He added that some unresolved issues would likely carry over into the next phase of discussions.

"We are not expecting to resolve everything today. If that were possible, it would be ideal. The commission is working to move toward a national charter as quickly as possible."

During the first meeting between NCC and Jamaat on April 26, the two sides primarily discussed recommendations of the Constitution Reform Commission.

Jamaat supported the proposal to introduce a bicameral parliament.

However, they suggested that both the upper and lower houses should be elected through a proportional representation system.

The party also agreed in principle to the formation of a National Constitutional Council and endorsed a limit of two terms for any individual to serve as prime minister.

The NCC is engaging with political parties on 166 key recommendations prepared by five of the six reform commissions set up by the interim government last October.

These include proposals on constitutional changes, the electoral system, judiciary, public administration, and anti-corruption measures.