Acting Secretary General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Maulana ATM Masum has issued the following statement on 15^th November, 2017 protesting and condemning the politically motivated and unlawful remarks of the Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar which he has made while talking to the journalists on 14^th November saying that ‘The election commission will not accept the recognized leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami.’

“Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar’s comment that ‘The election commission will not accept the recognized leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami is completely unlawful, unprecedented, unexpected and ill-motivated. His unconstitutional and illegal remarks once again proved that present election commission is biased and subservient to the government.

Responding to his remarks, I want to assert that Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami is country’s one of the most popular, lawfully bound and legitimate political party. Jamaat had representations almost in all the previous elections. Even at present, Jamaat has significant number of representatives in the Upazila, Union Council, municipality and City Corporation. Jamaat’s case to retrieve the party registration is also pending in country’s Apex Court. Under such context, Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar holds no right to say such unlawful and confusing remarks about the Jamaat’s participation in the elections. His comment is similar to contempt of court. Such role of the election commissioner has posed a big question mark again about the role of the Election Commission. He could not make such an unlawful remark if he has minimum respect towards the law, the judiciary, the constitution and the popular choice.

In this backdrop, I am urging election commissioner Mahbub Talukdar to show respect towards the law and also to be refrained from making unlawful comments about Jamaat-e-Islami.”