Other than Abbas Ali, the Amir of the Jamaat-i Islami (JI) who lost his bid in the 27 February 1991 Parliamentary election (Asian Survey Aug. 1991, 688), the names of Jamaat-i Islami candidates who ran, lost their seats or were elected could not be found among the sources consulted by the DIRB. The JI also proposed and seconded the nominations of Begum Rashida Khatoon and Hafiza Asmah Khatoon for 2 of the 30 seats reserved for women (Domestic Service 30 Mar. 1991). The Bangladesh National Party (BNP) got the remaining 28 seats (Asian Survey Aug. 1991, 690). These 30 reserved seats are filled by "indirect election" by members of the Jatiya Sangsad (National Assembly) (ibid., 690; Keesing's Feb. 1991, 38007).

The following information may be of interest. Voting took place for 298 seats of the remaining 300-member National Assembly. Voting for the other two seats was postponed due to the death of candidates (Keesing's Feb. 1991, 38007) until 14 and 28 March 1991 (AFP 7 Mar. 1991). According to Asian Survey, once the nominations for the elections were completed, the Jamaat-i Islami (JI) contested 221 seats of the National Assembly seats (Aug. 1991, 687). The JI fielded either 220 (Radio Bangladesh External Service 27 Feb. 1991) or 221 candidates (AFP 26 Feb. 1991). According to Keesing's, over 2,700 candidates representing 79 political parties contested these elections (Feb. 1991, 38007), whereas Radio Bangladesh External Service reported that 2,779 candidates contested the election, of whom "2,350 are nominees of 70 political parties and 425 independents" (27 Feb. 1991). Agence France Presse (AFP) reported more than 2,770 candidates, most of whom belonged to one of 70 parties (26 Feb. 1991).

According to Asian Survey, the JI offered the 18 seats it had won to the BNP in order to give it an absolute majority (Aug. 1991, 687).

For more information on the role of women in the JI, please consult Response to Information Request BGD16231.E of 21 January 1994, which is available at Regional Documentation Centres.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References

Agence France Presse [Hong Kong, in English]. 7 March 1991. "Final Election Results Announced 7 Mar." (FBIS-NES-91-047 11 Mar. 1991, p. 77)

_____. 26 February 1991. "AFP Describes Preelection Scene." (FBIS-NES-91-039 27 Feb. 1991, p. 51)

Asian Survey [Berkeley, Calif.]. August 1991. Vol. 31, No. 8. Craig Baxter and Syedur Rahman. "Bangladesh Votes 1991: Building Democratic Institutions."

Domestic Service [Dhaka, in English]. 30 March 1991. "28 BNP-Sponsored Women Win Seats Uncontested." (FBIS-NES-91-062 1 Apr. 1991, 47).

Keesing's Record of World Events [Cambridge]. February 1991. Vol. 37, No. 2. "Bangladesh: General Election."

Radio Bangladesh External Service [Dhaka, in English]. 27 February 1991. "Bangladesh: Reportage on 27 Feb Parliamentary Elections." (FBIS-NES-91-040 28 Feb. 1991, pp. 50-51)

Attachments

Asian Survey [Berkeley, Calif.]. August 1991. Vol. 31, No. 8. Craig Baxter and Syedur Rahman. "Bangladesh Votes 1991: Building Democratic Institutions," pp. 683-93.

Domestic Service [Dhaka, in English]. 30 March 1991. "28 BNP-Sponsored Women Win Seats Uncontested." (FBIS-NES-91-062 1 Apr. 1991, p. 47).

Keesing's Record of World Events [Cambridge]. February 1991. Vol. 37, No. 2. "Bangladesh: General Election," pp. 38006-07.

Radio Bangladesh External Service [Dhaka, in English]. 27 February 1991. "Bangladesh: Reportage on 27 Feb Parliamentary Elections." (FBIS-NES-91-040 28 Feb. 1991, pp. 50-51)

Additional Sources Consulted

The Europa World Year Book. 1992.

Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) Daily Reports. December 1990 to April 1991.

Keesing's Record of World Events [Cambridge]. Monthly. December 1990 to May 1991.

Political Handbook of the Year. 1992.

On-line search of media sources.

Oral sources.