Dhaka: Jatiya Oikyafront has demanded that the Election Commission should issue directives to the Home Ministry to release all leaders and activists of different parties arrested in ‘political’ cases.

Dr Kamal Hossain-led Jatiya Oikyafront placed the demand in a letter sent to Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda, reports the UNB.

The alliance’s media coordinator Latiful Bari Hamim submitted the letter signed by its Chief Coordinator Mostafa Mohsin Montu on Monday evening.

In the letter, Jatiya Oikyafront said no one can be arrested for political reasons after the announcement of valid candidates. ‘Especially no candidate should be harassed,’ it said.

‘The Election Commission can issue directives to the Home Ministry to release any political leader or activist in a political case,’ the letter says.

‘So, the Chief Election Commissioner is requested to issue directives for the release of all leaders and activists detained in political cases following the Constitution for the sake of holding the election in a fair and credible manner,’ the letter reads.

A total of 2,279 nomination papers were declared valid while 786 others were announced invalid by the returning officers during Sunday’s scrutiny.

The 11th parliamentary elections will be held on December 30.