Reforms first, then Election : BJI

In its first meeting with the Election Commission in over a decade, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has presented demands to conduct polls after “urgent reforms”, and called for the introduction of proportional representation, and the holding of local government elections before general elections.

"No election without reforms," Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar told the media after leaving the meeting at the Election Building on Thursday.

However, he clarified that not all reform recommendations should be implemented, but instead that those related to elections were “very urgent”.

He added, “At least all the institutions and agencies involved in the election process should be reformed before the election."

Calling for the election to be held after as much time as is needed to make the election “impartial”, the Jamaat leader said: "The people want the local government to be functional, we also want the local elections to be held before the national elections."

The party, which lost its registration 12 years ago following a court ruling, has demanded the cancellation of the current law overseeing party registrations.

A six-strong delegation led by Porwar and Jamaat’s Assistant Secretary General AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad visited the EC headquarters on Thursday.

Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin presided over the meeting, accompanied by election commissioners Abdur Rahmanel Masud, Begum Tahmida Ahmad, Anwarul Islam Sarkar, and Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah.

This marks Jamaat’s first formal interaction with the EC since its registration was revoked in 2013. Previously, party representatives had only visited the EC Secretariat to submit annual audit reports when Jamaat was still registered.