JASAD Announces Boycott of February Election, Calling It “One-Sided”

The Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JASAD), a partner of the Awami League–led 14-party alliance that has been ousted from power, has announced a boycott of the upcoming February national parliamentary election, describing it as “one-sided and unilateral,” and has termed the referendum “unconstitutional.”

In a press release issued on Monday, the party led by imprisoned Hasanul Haq Inu stated that as a registered and election-oriented political party under the Election Commission, it believes that, in any consideration, an elected constitutional government is preferable to an “unelected unconstitutional” government.

“From that consideration, JASAD has participated in all elections in the past except for a few controversial ones. However, despite being an election-oriented party, JASAD has decided not to participate in the upcoming unconstitutional referendum and the one-sided, unilateral election being held in the name of the Thirteenth National Parliamentary Election.”

Following the fall of the Awami League government in the mass uprising on August 5, 2024, JASAD President and former Information Minister Inu was arrested.

Facing trial at the International Crimes Tribunal on charges of crimes against humanity for attempting to suppress the uprising, Inu has been shown arrested in several murder cases.

Although JASAD, unlike the Awami League, does not face a ban on its activities, the party has been unable to return to the political field since the changeover.

In the statement signed by JASAD Office Secretary Sazzad Hossain, the interim government has been claimed to be “clearly” non-neutral.

JASAD said, “Instead of arranging a neutral, inclusive, and participatory election, this government has organized an unconstitutional referendum and a one-sided, unilateral parliamentary election. The Election Commission is fully carrying out the government’s political will by staging a farce in the name of an unconstitutional referendum and a one-sided, unilateral parliamentary election.

“Therefore, JASAD is boycotting the unconstitutional referendum and the one-sided, unilateral election being held in the name of the Thirteenth National Parliamentary Election.”

The announcement of the boycott by JASAD came on the final day for submitting nomination papers, according to the schedule that set February 12 as the day for the parliamentary election and referendum.

Explaining why the party is boycotting the election, JASAD said that on the very day the interim government was formed under the leadership of Muhammad Yunus through a Supreme Court reference, it had issued a statement calling on the interim government to announce an electoral roadmap. JASAD had urged that, within the shortest possible time, power be handed over to an elected constitutional government through an inclusive and participatory election involving all parties.

JASAD said that instead of holding elections within 90 days like past non-party caretaker governments, the interim government has been prolonging its tenure through successive “tricks and dilatory tactics.”

The party also alleged that by “joining hands” with one side of the country’s “divided” politics on the question of the Liberation War, the government is carrying out “extreme political vendetta” against the other side.

“Defeated forces of the Liberation War continue to be patronized in committing heinous crimes such as taking revenge for their defeat, reopening and denying issues settled in the Liberation War, erasing the history of the Liberation War, demolishing Liberation War memorials, sculptures, murals, and structures with bulldozers, obstructing music and theatrical events, and repeatedly attacking Bengali and indigenous cultural heritage—folk culture, and even the peaceful, tolerant, syncretic, Sufi and mystic traditions of Islam.

“Instead of controlling the law and order situation to ensure the safety of people’s lives and property, the country is being turned into a land ruled by mobs by inciting mobs. From lower courts to higher courts, administration, media, educational institutions, and neighborhoods, markets, business establishments, homes and roads, a hellish situation is being created through mob violence, murder, enforced disappearances, rape, terrorism, and extortion.”

Claiming to be a long-time ally of the Awami League, JASAD said that instead of keeping itself non-partisan and neutral, the interim government has openly patronized one side of the divided politics and has also formed a “king’s party.”

“By directly turning the other side into political opponents and enemies, thousands of leaders and activists are being slapped with false cases and arrested indiscriminately, without regard for any legal process, to fulfill political vendetta.”

In the statement, JASAD said, “In line with the concerns of the entire nation and the international community, JASAD also believes that this unconstitutional referendum and the one-sided, unilateral election being held in the name of the Thirteenth National Parliamentary Election will not play any positive role in restoring constitutional democratic governance and peace and order in the country. Rather, it will legitimize forces hostile to the Liberation War in pursuing politics of revenge for their defeat, and will encourage religious extremist, militant, terrorist, and mob-based politics, thereby creating unrest in the country and granting legitimacy to the sinister forces behind them.”