Nur's GOP wants to see AL and its allies banned for at least one election cycle

Dhaka, 20 Feb – Gono Odhikar Parishad (GOP) on Thursday demanded that the Awami League's registration with the Election Commission, a pre-requisite for running in national elections, along with its alliance partners and other nameless political parties be withheld or cancelled.

An eight-member delegation, led by Gono Odhikar Parishad president Nurul Haque, placed the demand in a meeting with the Election Commission. Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin and other election commissioners were present at the two-hour meeting in the Nirbachan Bhaban here.

“Since Awami League and its allies are involved in this (July-August) massacre, we told them (the EC) at least to withhold or cancel their registration,” said GOP general secretary Rashed Khan while talking to reporters after the meeting.

“We’ve asked the EC so that fascist Awami League and its allies can, in no way, participate in the next election,” he said.

In response the EC told them that withholding requires political consensus and is a matter for the court, said Rashed.

In this regard, Nurul Haque Nur said some nameless political parties were registered before the 2008 national election and the 2024 national election. The EC can withhold the registration of the nameless parties and kings parties that are not complying with the registration conditions.

He, however, acknowledged the Election Commission cannot decide alone whether the Awami League will be allowed to participate in the next election or not. A political consensus is required here. “The government must also play a role here. That consensus has already been reached in this regard," he said.

Replying to a question, the GOP president said his party thinks that the election to some local bodies – particularly city corporations, upazila parishads and municipalities- can be held before the national election as the people are being deprived of getting the services from the local bodies.

He said the services of the local government bodies have been hampered for the last six months in absence of public representatives there. The people are suffering in availing different services from the bodies.

“If the national election is held in December next, the local government bodies will remain without public representatives for 10 more months…. This is why we think the elections to city corporations, upazila parishads and municipalities can be held. At least the elections to two tiers out of the three tiers can be held,” he said.

Nurul Haque said they also discussed enrolment of expatriate Bangladeshis in the electoral rolls and ensuring the voting rights in the next election.

He demanded the EC not to include the government officials, who acted as the returning officers and presiding officers in the last few controversial elections or who are affiliated to any political party, in the election duty in future.

Nurul Haque said they will participate in the next national election with his party’s ‘Truck’ symbol.