J-e-I files writ petition against Aug 4 elections; Khaleda Zia calls on political parties to work together to overcome current crisis; Government eases emergency restrictions to permit some trade union activities
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    • The Jamaat-e-Islami leader, Jasim Uddin Sarker, filed a writ petition with the High Court on July 6 demanding a stay order on the August 4 elections to four city corporations and nine municipalities. The dates for these elections were announced on June 201.

    Meanwhile, the BNP blamed the government for following the ‘minus-two’ formula, for having banished the chiefs of the two ruling parties2. The government has on its part indicated that it could release BNP chief Khaleda Zia, in the similar manner that Shiekh Hasina was released3. Khaleda Zia reasserted her demand that the parliamentary polls should be held before the local government polls and that the caretaker government should set a timeline for the elected government to conduct the polls4. She also stressed that the political parties should work together to overcome the ongoing political crisis5.

    Meanwhile, the Awami League (AL)-led 14-party combine announced the names of its mayoral candidates for the scheduled August 4 polls to four city corporations on July 96. On the other hand, the BNP announced that it would take stern action against candidates contesting the polls7. The government also decided to ease emergency measures in order to permit some amount of trade union activities8.

    In other developments, Foreign Affairs Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury attended the D8 Summit held in Kuala Lumpur on July 89. He proposed a five-point agenda for effective cooperation among the member-states on issues concerning energy, food, trade, climate change and migration10. The member states also approved a 10-year road map for economic cooperation11.

    The Foreign Affairs Adviser, commenting on the issue of transit of goods to India, categorically stated on July 12 that the government would never agree to any arrangement which was contrary to Bangladesh's sovereign national interest12.

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