A number of country’s political parties based on Islamic religion are interested in joining the BNP-led opposition’s movement platform against the incumbent Awami League government ahead of the next parliamentary elections.

At the same time, the major opposition BNP is also approaching the Islamic political parties to convince them to stand in BNP’s favour and against the current government over holding the next national polls, insiders said.

They also said BNP leaders are regularly maintaining contact with the Islamic parties.

Talking to the Daily Sun, top leaders of a number of Islamic political parties of the country said they are interested in joining the BNP’s simultaneous movement but at present, they cannot expose their actual stand in fear of possible action against them.

But they may join the BNP’s platform just a few months before holding the next parliamentary election if they see that the BNP is going to achieve victory in their movement, they added.

“We want fair atmosphere for election but we are yet to see any atmosphere for fair polls. Fair election is not possible under a partisan government,” Maulana Gazi Ataur Rahman, joint secretary general of Islami Andolon Bangladesh, told the Daily Sun.

He said in a recent meeting with a delegation of BNP leaders, they also informed the major opposition that they want holding the next parliamentary election under a national government. “The BNP leaders heard our stand and said they would look into the matter and consider it.”

Asked whether they will join the BNP-led anti-government movement, Gazi Ataur Rahman said they are currently carrying on their movement as part of their independent plan to realise their demands.

Maulana Hasnat Amini, chairman of Islami Oikya Jote, said people have already seen the way the previous two parliamentary elections were held in 2014 and 2018. “So we want such an election where people will remain involved and can cast their vote,” he added.

Mentioning that Islami Oikya Jote, Khelafate Islam, Nejame Islam Party and Olama Committee are working together, Hasnat Amini said they will take their stand about the election and movement based on the upcoming political situation.

MA Matin, secretary general of Bangladesh Islami Front, said they demand that the Election Commission be strengthened to hold a fair and neutral election. “The Election Commission will have to be given responsibility of five ministries, including the Home Ministry, during the polls for a fair election,” he said.

Matin also said they will take the decision whether they will join the next polls under the current Election Commission based on the situation as the current election commission is not strong enough to hold a free and fair general election.

Ahmed Abdul Kader, secretary general of Khelafat Majlish, said they believe that the next parliamentary election will not be held without election time non-party, neutral government.  “We are current carrying on our movement to realise our demands. We will intensify our movement from April or May further,” he said.

A number of leaders of some other Islamic political parties, which are not yet registered with the Election Commission, said they are interested in taking the side of BNP as they do not feel comfortable with the ruling Awami League.

Though Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami is seemed to be separated from the opposition’s simultaneous movement, they are maintaining the distance from the BNP just for strategic reason, and the Islamist party will also join the BNP’s movement on time, the party insiders said.

Talking to the Daily Sun, some central leaders of BNP said the party has been contacting the Islamist political parties to take them on their side and against the Awami League government.

Some leaders assigned by the BNP are holding meetings secretly with the Islamist parties to draw their support as the Islamist parties have supporters and followers to wage strong movement, the sources added.

The Islamist parties may form separate political alliance and join the BNP-led anti-government movement, sources inside some Islamist parties said.

The BNP along with around 55 political parties and organisations has been carrying on movement since December last year to realise their 10 point demands, including resignation of the current government and holding the next parliament election under a poll-time government.         

On the other hand, the ruling Awami League has declared that the next parliamentary election would be held under the party in power as per current provision of the constitution of the country.

BNP leaders already declared that if they are voted to power in the next, then the party will form national government with the parties, which will remain in the simultaneous movement with them.

“We appreciate all parties either leftist or rightist, which will join our current simultaneous movement to restore democracy of the country,” BNP vice-chairman Mohammad Shahjahan told the Daily Sun.