Jamaat threatens to sue government, Consensus Commission over July Charter’s legal basis

Jamaat-e-Islami has threatened to sue the government and the National Consensus Commission for compensation if the July Charter is not granted legal recognition.

The warning came from the party’s deputy chief, Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, during a lunch break in Thursday’s ongoing dialogue with the commission, reports bdnews24.com.

“We have made it clear -- we won’t sign the July Charter without legal basis. It must be implemented within the tenure of this government. That can begin as early as [Friday],” he said.

He reiterated Jamaat’s demand for the adoption of the peer system for elections, citing “longstanding electoral irregularities in Bangladesh’s 54-year history”, including partisan influence, rigging, fake and night-time polls.

Taher said the peer system is now practised across nearly 90 countries worldwide, including in Africa, Europe, America and Asia.

“It is a global reality, not a matter of rich or poor, black or white,” he added, noting that many countries adopt this system every year.