A meeting of the central Majlish-e-Shura of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami held on 20^th January, 2024 with party’s Acting Ameer and former MP Professor Mujibur Rahman in the chair. In the inaugural speech, Jamaat’s Acting Ameer said, a farce has taken place on last 7^th January in the name of election. The result of the election is pre-fixed. A one-party dummy election was arranged in order to secure victory for the preferable candidates. Along with the countrymen, on behalf of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami we have rejected the election instantly.

For last 15 years, the incumbent regime has been seizing the voting rights of the people away and they have established autocracy. People have no trust and confidence upon this government. The present government is illegitimate. The people did not cast votes for this government. A farce has taken place on last 7^th January in the name of election. Whatever the government has said about the voter’s turnout is not credible. United Nations, United States, United Kingdom and the global corners already stated that the 7^th January election was not credible and participatory. 6 Major organizations have rejected the election as well. They clearly viewed that people did not go to the poll centers on that day and their choices had not been reflected in this election. European Union also expressed interest to know the actual turnout of this election.

Responding to the public desire, like the other opposition parties, Jamaat has boycotted the election and stay refrained from casting votes. The general masses also did not cast their votes. The democratic minded people of the country want to establish their own government. But the government has disregarded their views and destroyed the democratic structures and institutions of the country. The parliament, which has been formed through 7^th January election is not legitimate. We are calling to cancel this election and urging to declare a date for a new election under a caretaker regime in order to ensure a free, fair, credible and inclusive election.

The government has kept Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, Secretary General and former MP Professor Mia Golam Porwar, Assistant Secretary General Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan, central executive committee member and Dhaka north city Ameer Selim Uddin behind the bar for many days. Huge number of opposition leaders and activists were arrested immediate before the election. Many of them have been sentenced in different politically motivated cases. We demand the release of all detainees including Jamaat Ameer, other leaders and the religious scholars immediately.