Eight parties, including Jamaat-NCP, on one platform for four-point demands

Eight political parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami and National Citizens Party (NCP), are going to announce a simultaneous program with four demands, including the immediate implementation of the July Charter. Several rounds of meetings have already been held on this issue and the parties will soon announce their programs through separate press conferences.

Four-point demands

1. Legal basis and implementation of the July Charter

2. Election of the National Assembly through the proportional representation (PR) system

3. Ensuring a level playing field in the elections

4. Ban on activities of Jatiya Party (JPA) and 14 parties

Sources say that the simultaneous programs are taking part in—

Jamaat-e-Islami

National Citizen Party (NCP)

Islami Andolan Bangladesh (Charmonai Pir's party)

Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis (Mamunul Haq-supporting)

Khelafat Majlis (Abdul Basit Azad and Ahmed Abdul Kader-supporting)

Gana Odhikar Parishad (Nurul Haq Noor)

Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party (Mujibur Rahman Manju)

Bangladesh Nezame Islam Party (Sarwar Kamal Azizi)

Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis will announce the program of the simultaneous movement at a press conference tomorrow, Sunday. Islami Andolan Bangladesh will also hold a press conference at its central office in Purana Paltan on Monday and announce a common program. It is learned that other parties will also make announcements in phases. The simultaneous program may come into effect from next week.

Although there are some differences of opinion on the PR method, the parties have agreed on basic reforms and electoral structure.

Some want PR in both houses of parliament, while others want PR only in the upper house.

However, all eight parties agree on the demand to ban the activities of the Jatiya Party and the 14 parties.

Islami Andolan Senior Joint Secretary General Gazi Ataur Rahman said that all parties will announce a common program. On the other hand, NCP Senior Joint Convener Ariful Islam Adeeb said that an understanding has been reached with some parties regarding the implementation of the July Charter and the Constituent Assembly elections, but the discussions have not been finalized yet.

The leaders said that they want the national elections to be held in the first half of February and that they be held on the basis of the July Charter.

All in all, this simultaneous program initiative by eight parties including Jamaat, NCP and Islami Andolan has given rise to new discussions in the political arena.