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Party Pledges Islamic Republic in Bangladesh
DHAKA, Sept 1 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - The Jamaat-e-Islami party has pledged to turn Bangladesh into an Islamic state if it is voted into power at the next election, news agencies reported Saturday.
"Bangladesh will be declared as an Islamic Republic on the basis of the sovereignty of the Almighty Allah," the party's manifesto, released late Friday, said, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.
Jamaat-e-Islami is contesting the October 1st election as part of a four-party alliance led by Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and is unlikely to be able to push through its policies, even if it wins seats.
But Jamaat leader Motiur Rahman Nizami said the party issued a separate policy document despite being part of the alliance "to make our ideological stand clear."
The party, which opposed Bangladesh's 1971 war of independence with Pakistan, said its Islamic policies would include redistributing wealth, ending corruption and halting prostitution, AFP reported.
"The armed forces would be imbued with Islamic spirit of Jihad [struggle] to defend the country, while military training will be made compulsory for those between 18 and 45 years old," the manifesto said, according to AFP.
Though Islam is the state religion and the country's population is predominantly Muslim, Bangladesh is a secular state.
Last week, the alliance announced the number of seats to be contested by each party, with the BNP having 251 seats, the Jamaat receiving 30 seats and 18 seats split between two other parties.
If the BNP-led alliance were to win the election, members of the Jamaat party would be given cabinet posts, but it is unlikely that it would succeed in introducing its Islamic policy goals.
The BNP and the former ruling Awami League party were expected to announce their election manifestos during the coming week, party officials said, AFP reported.
Nomination papers for candidates had to be filed by Wednesday. After two days of scrutiny, the election commission announced that 2,410 candidate nomination papers were found valid, and 143 were cancelled for various reasons - mainly bad bank loans.
They included 10 nominations from BNP and five from the Awami League.
Bangladeshi banks have recovered more than 500 million taka ($8.62 million) worth of bad loans in the past few days as candidates have attempted to clear their dues so as not to be banned by the election commission.
Those defaulting on loans are not allowed to contest elections, although they are allowed to run if they reschedule their loans and pay back 10% of the total amount due.
Muslims make up 88.3% of Bangladesh's population, while Hindus constitute 10.5%.
Portions of Bangladesh's boundary lines with India remain contested, and the two countries remain disputed over South Talpatty/New Moore Island.
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