8 parties including Jamaat, NCP to launch simultaneous programme with 4 demands

Jamaat-e-Islami, National Citizen Party (NCP), and six other political parties are set to announce a simultaneous programme with four demands, including the immediate implementation of the July Charter. The parties will soon declare their programme through separate press conferences.

According to responsible sources, the other demands include holding the national elections under the proportional representation (PR) system, ensuring a level playing field for all in the elections, and banning the activities of the Jatiya Party (JaPa) and the 14-party alliance as accomplices of fascism.

Sources said that after several rounds of meetings, the parties reached a consensus on launching a simultaneous programme based on four demands: establishing the legal foundation of the July Charter, ensuring its implementation, and holding the upcoming national elections under its framework.

Sources said the parties joining this simultaneous programme are: Jamaat-e-Islami, NCP, Islami Andolan Bangladesh led by the Pir of Char Monai, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish led by Maulana Mamunul Haque, Khelafat Majlish led by Maulana Abdul Basit Azad and Ahmad Abdul Quader, Gono Odhikar Parishad led by Nurul Haque, Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party led by Mujibur Rahman Monju, and Bangladesh Nezame Islam Party led by Sarwar Kamal Azizi.

According to party sources, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish will hold a press conference tomorrow, Sunday, to announce its programmes for the simultaneous movement. Other parties are also expected to announce their programmes soon, with the simultaneous programmes likely to begin next week.

Gazi Ataur Rahman, senior joint secretary-general of Islami Andolan, told Prothom Alo last night that they will hold a press conference at the party’s central office in Purana Paltan on Monday to announce their programme. He said all parties would declare a unified programme.

There has been a certain understanding between the NCP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and some other parties regarding the legal basis of the July Charter. A senior Jamaat leader has acknowledged that several parties have agreed on a simultaneous programme.

Regarding this, Ariful Islam Adib, senior joint convener of the NCP, told Prothom Alo, “The NCP wants to see the implementation of the July Charter through a Constituent Assembly election. While some parties are not directly calling for such an election, they agree on the legal foundation of the July Charter. We are holding informal discussions with various parties on this and other issues. Talks are also ongoing about a simultaneous movement on common issues, though nothing has been finalised yet.”

Party leaders have said they want the elections to be held in the first half of February, as announced by the chief adviser, and based on the July Charter.

However, there are differences of opinion among the eight parties regarding the demand for proportional representation (PR). Some want the PR system in both the lower and upper houses of parliament, while others want it only in the upper house. For this reason, each party will present its PR demand in its own way.

Meanwhile, the eight parties have agreed on banning the activities of the Jatiya Party. They argue that if the Awami League can be banned as a fascist party, then the Jatiya Party and other members of the 14-party alliance, as accomplices of fascism, should also be banned.

Jamaat, Islami Andolan, NCP, and several other parties have already played an active role in the National Consensus Commission’s dialogue on major reforms, including holding elections under the PR system. Now, these eight parties are preparing to launch a joint programme together.