4 January 2017, Wed, 8:04

On the occasion of Democracy Killing Day on 5th January, Jamaat Secretary General calls for national unity

Secretary General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman has issued the following statement on 4th January, 2017 on the eve of the 5th January ‘Democracy Killing Day’.

“The incumbent authoritarian government has murdered democracy by snatching the people’s voting rights away on 5th January of 2014 staging a mockery in the name of election. This day will be treated as a stigmatized day in the political history of Bangladesh.

During the election of 5th January, 2014, 153 men were elected uncontested which is an unprecedented incident in the history of parliamentary democracy. There were 47 polling centers where not a single vote was casted. Since that farcical Election Day, all elections which have taken place in the Upazila, City Corporation, municipalities, Union Councils and District council levels, are nothing but same farce. All these elections were voter less and one sided. These elections substantially proved that fair, credible and acceptable election is not possible under this regime.

During the farcical election of 5th January, 2014, the government had claimed that the election is being taken place just to maintain constitutional obligations. Immediately a participatory and credible election would be arranged. But the government did not keep that promise so far. Rather they ruined the entire election system. Resultantly, people have lost their trust and confidence upon the government and the election commission.

The people are extremely oppressed due to the misrule of the government. To get rid of this situation, there is no alternative but holding a free, fair, credible and participatory election. Under this backdrop, I am urging the countrymen to form a national unity to get rid of this suffocating situation.”