July Oikya has claimed that the Jatiya Party (JaPa) and the 14-party alliance are effectively affiliate organizations of ousted Awami League and must not be allowed to take part in elections, warning the Election Commission (EC) against permitting their participation.
One of the key organizers of July Oikya Mosaddek Ali Ibne Mohammad made the remarks on Tuesday during a protest near the EC building in front of Islamic Foundation office in Dhaka.
The demonstration, titled March to EC, was halted by police, after which protesters staged a rally at the spot.
Following the protest, Mosaddek Ali and several others submitted a memorandum to the Chief Election Commissioner.
Addressing protesters, Mosaddek Ali said the JaPa and 14-party alliance were nothing more than collaborators of what he described as a fascist political structure led by AL.
He argued that any party or individual whose activities have been banned should have no scope to contest elections. He also demanded legal action against individuals from these groups who are contesting polls as independent candidates or being allowed to do so.
He warned that no political group resembling what he termed Baksal forces, referring to one-party rule, would be allowed to participate in elections in Bangladesh.
He cautioned those attempting to rehabilitate such forces to learn from the fate of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, claiming that similar consequences could follow if they pursued the same path. He said students and the public were capable of resisting any attempt to restore authoritarian politics.
Mosaddek Ali said that after movements demanding a ban on the Awami League, the 14-party alliance, and groups accused of involvement in mass killings, the interim government had announced a ban on the activities of the Awami League, Chhatra League, and their affiliated organizations.
Issuing a warning to the EC, he said there was still time to understand public sentiment. He claimed that failure to do so could lead to consequences similar to those faced by previous election commissioners.
He said July Oikya wanted a post-August 5 EC that would act in the interest of people and uphold justice and fairness, but alleged that the current commission was showing authoritarian tendencies.
He further said allowing the Jatiya Party, the 14-party alliance, and independent candidates linked to what he called the NDF to contest elections against public opinion amounted to fascist behavior.
He urged the EC to suspend all nominations of Jatiya Party and the 14-party alliance until a High Court verdict is delivered, noting that the court has already issued a rule following their writ petition.
Mosaddek Ali also warned media outlets that he accused of promoting narratives in favor of the July violence and continuing propaganda, urging them to present facts truthfully.
He said their opposition was directed at media owners, not journalists, and demanded the removal of deputy commissioners and upazila nirbahi officers who, he claimed, had lost neutrality, calling for neutral officials to be appointed in their place.
