Putting an end to all speculation, both the newly-formed alliance, Jatiya Oikyafront, and the BNP-led 20-Party Alliance have decided to take part in the upcoming parliamentary polls, slated for December 23. At separate press conferences at Jatiya Press Club and the BNP chairperson’s political office in Gulshan, both Oikyafront and the BNP-led alliance also demanded deferral of the current election schedule by one month. "Despite a severe adverse situation, Jatiya Oikyafront has decided to participate in the elections as part of its movement for restoration of democracy in the country,” said top Oikyafront leader Dr Kamal Hossain.

Speaking at a crowded press conference at the Jatiya Press Club, Dr Hossain demanded the deferment of the current election schedule by one month and the announcement of a new schedule. Oikyafront spokesperson Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir read out a written statement on behalf of Dr Hossain.

“We are not backing down from our seven-point demand for participatory and acceptable elections. Rather deferment of poll schedule for one month has been added with it. The Oikyafront will continue its movement,” said the statement. The Oikyafront warned that it was the responsibility of the government and the Election Commission (EC) to ensure a participatory and acceptable election. It said that alongside its preparations for the polls, it would strictly monitor the behaviour of the government and the EC.

If the people’s demands are not accepted, the government and the EC would have to take the responsibility of the situation that would arise, warned the communiqué.

The seven-point charter of demands includes the release of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, dissolution of Parliament and conduct of elections under a nonpartisan government.

Earlier, the BNP-led 20-Party Alliance also announced at a press conference that it would take part in the general elections.

Alliance leader and Liberal Democratic Party

(LDP) president Col. (retd) Oli Ahmed made the announcement at a press conference at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office. BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan was present on the occasion.

Oli said the alliance partners would take part in the elections with the BNP’s poll symbol, the ‘sheaf of paddy’.

According to the poll schedule announced on November 8, the 11th parliamentary elections will be held on December 23 while the last date for the submission of nomination papers is November 19. The date for the scrutiny of nomination papers is November 22 and the last date for the withdrawal of nomination papers is November 29.

Replying to a question, Dr Hossain said the Oikyafront would decide within a couple of days whether to contest the polls under single symbol. He also alleged that the government is yet to ensure a level playing field for holding free, fair and neutral elections.

Terming the next polls an election for the restoration of voting rights, the Oikyafront hoped that the people would enter the field to exercise their franchise and stay with it to build a happy and prosperous Bangladesh.

Referring to the November 1 and November 7 dialogues with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Dr Hossain expressed regret over the fact that they did not see any indication of a mentality in the ruling party to reach an understanding on minimum issues to overcome the political impasse. “It rejected all our demands,” he asserted.

“Indeed, the government was not sincere in reaching a minimum understanding with the Oikyafront,” he said.

In this respect, he mentioned that some 1,200 opposition activists were arrested on just a single day after the Premier assured them that such harassment and arrests would cease. Also, the EC did not heed its demands to defer the poll schedule, he noted.

The Oikyafront said the EC’s hasty move in announcing the poll schedule proved that the government did not want any understanding through talks but wanted to hold another January 5-like lopsided election, keeping the Oikyafront outside the poll process.

Dr Kamal, also who is also the president of the Gano Forum, alleged that a minimum condition for creating a level playing field is required for a free and fair election.

About electronic voting machines (EVMs), he said the EC has not scrapped the decision to use EVMs in the poll despite resistance from all the parties and the general public. In such a situation, he said, “Holding a participatory and acceptable polls is almost impossible.”

Top Oikyafront leaders Barrister Moudud Ahmed of the BNP, ASM Abdur Rab and Abdul Malek Ratan of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Bangabir Kader Siddique of Krishak Sramik Janata League, Mahmudur Rahman Manna of Nagorik Oikya, Sultan Mohammed Mansur of Jatiya Oikya Prokriya and Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, among others, were present at the jam-packed press conference.

The Opposition activists staged a showdown at Jatiya Press Club soon after announcement of the Oikyafront and chanted different slogans demanding the release of Khaleda Zia, who is serving 10-year jail terms in two graft cases.

The Oikyafront was formed on October 13 with a seven-point set of demands for national elections under a neutral government after the dissolution of Parliament and the release of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia from jail.

The 11-point vision statement of the alliance includes ensuring checks and balances in state power, decentralisation of the administration, freeing MPs from the stringent restrictions imposed on them under Article 70 of the constitution, formation of a constitutional commission to make appointments to all constitutional and other important posts and full independence of the judiciary.

In another development, the BNP said it will start selling nomination papers to aspirant candidates for the next general elections on Monday. The nomination papers can be bought from the BNP’s central office from 10am on Monday for Tk. 5,000 for each. A non-refundable sum of Tk. 25,000 would have to be deposited during the submission of the nomination papers, said party sources.