On Monday, January 20, at 12:30 p.m., a four-member delegation of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, led by Dr. Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, Nayeb-e-Ameer of the party and former Member of Parliament, held a courtesy meeting with the United Nations Electoral Needs Assessment Mission (ENAM) at the United Nations' Resident Coordinator’s Office in Bangladesh.
Representing the UN Mission were Mrs. Sara Petropoulli, Political Affairs Officer from the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Electoral Assistance Division, Mr. Aditya Adhikari, Political Affairs Officer from the Asia-Pacific Division, and Mrs. Nazia Hashemi, Advisor for Inclusive Institutions and Processes in the Digital Age (UNDP).
From Jamaat-e-Islami, the delegation included Jamaat’s central executive council member Saiful Alam Khan Milon, Member of the Central Executive Committee, party’s Assistant Secretary General Advocate Ehsanul Mahboob Zubair, and Jamaat’s central media and publicity Secretary Advocate Matiur Rahman Akanda.
After the meeting, Dr. Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher briefed the press, stating:
"We attended this courtesy meeting at the invitation of the UN Electoral Needs Assessment Mission. They inquired about several issues, including what kind of support UNDP could provide for elections and the steps necessary to ensure free and fair elections. We welcomed the mission, stating that we appreciate technical and financial assistance from international organizations, provided there is no interference. We emphasized that if UNDP can support us without interfering, particularly in funding and technical matters, it would be welcome."
According to Dr. Taher, Jamaat recommended installing CCTV cameras at every polling station, noting that this would help assess the overall election atmosphere. Given the significant costs, they asked for support from international organizations.
Jamaat’s delegation also reiterated its commitment to participatory, transparent, and fair elections. When asked about the timing, Jamaat leader advocated for elections as soon as possible, emphasizing the need for urgent electoral reforms. Without reforms, future elections might face similar issues as in the past.
Jamaat also stressed the need to enhance electoral laws to empower election authorities further. They proposed constitutional amendments, including limiting the Prime Minister's term to a maximum of two, balancing the powers between the President and Prime Minister, and conducting reforms as suggested by the Reforms Commission through immediate dialogue with political parties.
The delegation called for a dialogue to achieve consensus on fundamental issues, enabling elections within the shortest timeframe after essential reforms. Without reforms, elections would be flawed, but unnecessary delays in the name of reforms were also cautioned against.
Responding to a journalist's question, Dr. Taher stated that BNP is a significant political party in Bangladesh with its perspective. Jamaat’s stance is to conduct elections following necessary reforms. On Awami League’s participation, he said, "The situation and people's opinions will determine the outcome." Regarding caretaker government demands, he reiterated it as Jamaat’s core demand, noting that the caretaker system was originally proposed by Jamaat and later supported by other parties. Unfortunately, Awami League, despite previously supporting it, abolished the system after coming to power for its convenience. Thus, Jamaat firmly demands elections under a caretaker government.