Maulana Mamunul Haque, ameer of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, has called for widespread participation by Islamists in local government elections. He said that if Islamist and honest, qualified people remain passive, corrupt, dishonest, and commission-seeking individuals will naturally get the opportunity to become public representatives.
He made the remarks at a meeting of the “Grassroots Candidate Selection Committee,” organized by Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish’s election steering committee, at the ameer’s political office in Mohammadpur, the capital, at 4:00 p.m. Tuesday.
Maulana Mamunul Haque said honest, qualified people devoted to public welfare need to step forward in the electoral field to make the local government system people-friendly and free of corruption. If Islamists stay silent and honest, capable people do not take part in elections, he said, dishonest and corrupt individuals will get the chance to become public representatives.
He said the Election Commission needs to play an effective role in reducing the dominance of money power and influential quarters in local government elections. He said the commission’s indifference and inaction often prevents genuinely public-spirited, honest, and acceptable candidates from properly emerging in the electoral contest, which amounts to a failure of the Election Commission’s duty.
Noting that one cannot simply rely on the Election Commission’s role alone, the Khelafat Majlish ameer said political parties and Islamist organizations also need to play a responsible role. There is no alternative to honest, qualified leadership for public security, social stability, and resolving various local-level problems, he said. Organizational work must therefore begin at the grassroots to build capable leadership in every union, municipality, and local government institution.
Mamunul Haque said: “If we sit silently, if an honest person doesn’t step forward, a commission-hungry person will get the chance to become chairman. If an honest person doesn’t step forward, a corrupt person will get elected as municipal mayor. An extortionist will get the chance to become city mayor. For the sake of the public’s welfare and the country’s interest, honest and capable people must be the first to step forward.”
He stressed widespread selection of qualified candidates from the party’s grassroots level and active participation in local government elections. He also called on party leaders and workers to build organizational capacity, increase public engagement, and develop acceptable, people-friendly leadership at the local level.
The meeting, moderated by election steering committee member-secretary Maulana Hasan Junaid, was also addressed by Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish Secretary General Maulana Jalaluddin Ahmed, joint secretaries general Maulana Ataullah Amin, Maulana Tofazzal Hossain Hossain Miazi, and Maulana Mufti Sharafat Hossain.
Also present at the meeting were organizing secretary Maulana Azizur Rahman Helal, Maulana Abul Hasnat Jalali, Maulana Faisal Ahmed, Maulana Mohsinul Hasan, Maulana Hedayetullah Hadi, Maulana Abu Sayeed Noman, training secretary Maulana Zahirul Islam, treasury secretary Maulana Fazlur Rahman, publications secretary Maulana Harunur Rashid, office secretary Maulana Ruhul Amin, and members of the election steering and candidate selection committees.
Also present at the meeting were leaders of the Dhaka Metropolitan North and South branches, and leaders of the Bangladesh Khelafat Yuba Majlish and Khelafat Chhatra Majlish.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report