The BNP-led opposition alliance on Tuesday urged the president to play ‘a historical role’ by taking an initiative for holding a dialogue to resolve the ongoing impasse.
The president assured the alliance leaders, who met him at Bangabhaban in the evening, of taking steps within his constitutional authority. “President Abdul Hamid assured the 18-party alliance leaders that he will try his level best within his constitutional capacity, and that he would convey their message to the government,” President’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim told journalists after the meeting.
Emerging from Bangabhaban after the meeting, BNP Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told newspersons that the president assured them of taking initiatives to resolve the ongoing political impasse.
During the meeting, a 20-member opposition delegation, led by opposition chief Khaleda Zia, told the president that the 18-party alliance would not join any ‘one-sided’ election.
The opposition chief also alleged that they got no response from the government despite their repeated efforts for a dialogue.
The president then observed that both the political alliances have to take initiatives for upholding the democracy, the president’s press secretary said.
“Dialogue is needed to solve any problem and it is good for the nation,” Ihsanul Karim quoted the president as saying.
The president also said that no political party and no government in the past had incorporated any provision in the constitution over the role of the president during the crisis time.
“As the president, I have to protect and preserve the constitution,” Karim quoted the president.
The opposition delegation, during the one hour meeting, handed over a written submission to the president incorporating their demands.
‘We are aware of your constitutional power and limitations. But after being amended by the politicians to serve their petty interest, sometimes the articles and sub-articles of the constitution do not conform to the aspiration and desire of the people of the country,” said a statement issued by the 18-party alliance.
“…it fails to provide and guidance to resolve any crisis and in such a situation the constitution needs to be amended in line with the expectations and desire of the people. And the head of the state has to perform the responsibility determined by history. We feel such a moment has come,” the statement added.
The opposition said that the country has plunged into a deep crisis and it has deepened through the reconstitution of the cabinet with the member of the ruling Awami League-led grand alliance in the name of the formation of a poll-time cabinet.
The ministers of the grand alliance government have violated the constitution by remaining in their offices and by taking important decisions after submitting their resignation letters, the opposition said.
Earlier, Khaleda along with 19 leaders of the opposition alliance, including representatives from the Jamaat-e-Islami, reached Bangabhaban around 5:45pm.
This is the first time the opposition leader visited President Hamid since he assumed office on Apr 24 this year
The BNP led 18-party alliance leaders told the president that the government had created the ongoing crisis by annulling the caretaker government system through the unilateral amendment to the constitution.
“You are aware that there was no commitment about it in the election manifesto of the Awami League. So, they did not have any mandate from the people in this regard,” says the statement.
It also said that when the committee to amend the constitution had solicited opinions, everyone from professional bodies, distinguished citizens and constitution experts opined that the CG system should be retained.
Even the Awami League, led by prime minister Sheikh Hasina, said that it was necessary to retain the provision for CG system, it added.
Despite all these, the country has been pushed towards uncertainty through the annulment of the CG system through the ‘controversial’ 15th amendment to the constitution, the statement added.
BNP Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain, ASM Hannan Shah, Barrister Jamiruddin Sircar, Mirza Abbas, Goyeshwar Chandra Roy, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, LDP President Oli Ahmed, BJP leader Andalib Rahman Partha, Jamaat leader Nazir Ahmed, Islami Oikya Jote chief Abdul Latif Nezami, Khelafat Majlish chief Mohammad Ishak, Kalyan Party Chairman Syed Muhammad Ibrahim, Jagpa President Shafiul Alam Prodhan, NPP Chairman Sheikh Shawkat Hossain Nilu, NDP Chairman Golam Mortoza, NAP Chairman Jebel Rahman Ghani and Labour Party Chairman Mustafizur Rahman Iran accompanied Khaleda during the meeting.
Immediately after the swearing in of the eight new ministers in the poll-time cabinet on Monday, the opposition chief sought an appointment of the president. The Bangabhaban then fixed the meeting between
the president and the opposition.
-With The Independent input
