Acting Secretary General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Maulana ATM Masum has issued the following statement on 14th December, 2023 protesting and condemning the decision of the election commission that imposes restrictions upon holding political programs including processions and rallies till the next election.

“The election commission instructed the Home Ministry to take effective measures so that except electoral campaigns no political programs can take place from next 18th December. This is an anti-people decision of the subservient election commission. The constitution of Bangladesh ensures rights to all citizens for holding meeting, processions and rallies. The constitution did not give anyone or any platform the authority to impose restriction upon such rights of the citizens. If state of emergency is declared, only them some sections of the constitution automatically became postponed. As far we know, no state of emergency is not declared in Bangladesh. So, by giving such instructions, the commission has violated the constitution. There is no such example in the democratic world. We are vehemently condemning such anti-constitutional and anti-people decision of the election commission.

The countrymen think that, the election commission has taken such decision to indulge the ill-attempts of Awami League for holding another one-sided election. The fascist government has been hatching many plots to keep the opposition out of the electoral process and accordingly the election commission already declared the schedule for election. The recent decision of the commission once again proved that they are totally biased.

The latest decision of the election commission is illegal, unjust and unconstitutional. The countrymen are rejecting the commission’s decision. Their wrong attempts of squeezing democracy and democratic activities will make country’s political and financial condition more volatile. Jamaat and other opposition party’s ongoing movement is a recognized democratic right of the citizens. No one has the right to thwart this right. We are expecting that the commission will move back from such anti-people and intentional decision.