The Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has condemned the decision by the Awami League-led 14-party alliance to ban the party, calling the move illegal, beyond authority, and unconstitutional.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the party's amir, Dr Shafiqur Rahman, said, “The Awami League-led 14-party alliance is a political platform. A political party or alliance cannot take any decision about another political party. The law and constitution of Bangladesh provide no one with such authority.”
Shafiqur warned that if the trend of banning one political party by another is commenced, it will lead to a cycle of bans and chaos in the country.
He said that Jamaat-e-Islami is an established democratic political party that has participated in all acceptable elections and played a historic role in every democratic movement, even joining forces with the Awami League in the past.
Jamaat, he noted, presented the formula of a caretaker government, which paved the way for several free, fair, and neutral elections in the country.
“So, demanding the ban of such a democratic organisation is unlawful, beyond authority, and unconstitutional. The people of the country will not accept the demand of the 14-party alliance,” he added.
MSU/NMA