DHAKA: Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ) has announced of taking part in the next general elections independently, saying that they won’t favor the Awami League-led 14-Party grand alliance or BNP-led 20-Party alliance.

IOJ Chairman Maulana Abdul Latif Nejami made the announcement at a rally of the party at the Institution of Engineers Bangladesh (IEB) in the city on Sunday (January 07).

He said that the IOJ would pursue an independent course in the politics. So the party would contest independently in the next Parliamentary polls and other polls, including the mayoral by-polls of the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), with the symbol- ‘minaret’. The party would join the next general elections in 300 constituencies, he added.   

Abdul Latif Nejami also announced the mayoral candidate of the DNCC’s upcoming polls. Gazi Yeakub is the mayoral candidate from the IOJ.

IOJ secretary general Mufti Foyzullah, the party’s vice chairman Maulana Abdul Hamid Modhupuri, joint secretary general Mufti Toyeb Hossain and central leaders Abul Quashem, Maulana Ahlullah Wasel and Maulana Altaf Hossain also spoke at the rally, among others.

Abdul Latif Nejami-led Islami Oikya Jote was a partner of the BNP-led 20-Party alliance and boycotted the January-5 polls with the alliance. The IOJ left the 20-Party alliance on January 07 in 2016.

On January 06 in 1999, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia announced the formation of 4-Party alliance where the IOJ was one of the partners. The party was with BNP-led alliance for 17 years.

BDST: 1615 HRS, JAN 07, 2018
EHJ/SMS