Diplomatic Desk: Leaders of the Jatiyo Party and a delegation from the International Republican Institute (IRI) visited Bangladesh. On Wednesday morning (October 21), a courtesy meeting took place at Hotel Westin in Gulshan, Dhaka. The meeting was led by Jatiyo Party Chairman and former Foreign Minister Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud.
The Jatiyo Party delegation included Secretary General and former Minister ABM Ruhul Amin Hawladar, Executive Chairman Advocate Mujibul Haque Chunnu, and Masroor Mawla, the party chairman’s Special Envoy for International Affairs and a member of the Presidium.
The IRI delegation was led by Board Member Mr Christopher Fussner and Ms Lisa Curtis, a Senior Fellow from the Center for a New American Security’s Indo-Pacific Security Program. The delegation also included Technical Specialist Jessica Keegan, Residential Program Director Mr Steve Cima, Program Director Jamie Spykerman, Campaign Consultant Mr .John Fluherty, Consultant Darin Bielecki, Mr. Amitabh Ghosh, and Ms Saida Mushrefah Jahan.
During the meeting, participants discussed the upcoming national parliamentary elections, the current political and human rights situation in Bangladesh, and the transition to a democratic process. Jatiyo Party leaders raised concerns about the withdrawal of false cases against party workers, the lifting of travel bans, the need for an unhindered environment for their meetings, and the necessity for the administration to be free from party influence before the national elections.
Addressing the matter, Masroor Mawla stated, “Today, we met with the IRI delegation visiting Bangladesh. They inquired about the upcoming national elections and the prevailing political and human rights situation in the country.” He added that the head of the IRI delegation asked the chairman whether the Jatiyo Party would participate in the election. In response, Chairman Anisul Islam Mahmud assured them that the Jatiyo Party is an election-oriented party, always ready to participate in elections.
However, he emphasized that a stable electoral environment is not currently visible. Mahmud pointed out that false cases have been filed against many Jatiyo Party leaders, and these have yet to be withdrawn by the government. Furthermore, numerous individuals have been banned from traveling abroad, and party influence remains pervasive in the administration. He concluded that the Jatiyo Party is still unable to hold meetings in an open environment, and all these issues must be addressed before the national elections, along with ensuring the neutrality of the administration.
