Unveils citizens’ body
The next parliamentary election cannot be free and fair if held under the present government and without dissolving the incumbent parliament.
And the Election Commission, no matter how strong it is, alone will not be able to hold free and fair polls with the administration politicised.
This was the unanimous view of some eminent citizens at a discussion on “Interim versus caretaker government: in which way free and neutral polls” held at the Jatiya Press Club in the capital yesterday.
Shushashoner Jonney Nagarik, a citizens’ body for good governance, that organised the programme came up with a formula as an alternative to the BNP-led opposition’s demand for restoring the caretaker system and the ruling Awami League’s proposal for an interim government under which the next polls will be held.
In a keynote paper, Shujan Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar proposed formation of a committee comprising all retired judges of [Appellate Division] the Supreme Court with the chief justice who retired first among them heading the committee.
This committee will select the chief adviser and a panel of 15 other advisers, and the chief adviser will select 10 advisers from among the 15, the proposal said.
The proposal came in the context of the latest constitutional amendment providing for general election within 90 days before expiry of parliament’s tenure.
Speakers at the discussion urged the government to take steps to resolve the growing political crisis centring the now defunct caretaker government system for holding general election.
Former adviser to a caretaker government M Hafizuddin Khan said, “If parliament is not dissolved (before polls), lawmakers will certainly influence the local administrations and members of law enforcement agencies. Therefore, free and fair polls will be absolutely impossible.”
Former election commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain said, “Holding a free and fail election is impossible under a partisan government, and allowing MPs to remain in office during the polls.”
He mentioned that around seven lakh people– most of them government servants– and around six lakh members of law enforcement agencies are needed for holding parliamentary polls.
“If a partisan government and MPs remain in office, the lawmakers contesting the next polls will certainly influence the election officials,” said Sakhawat.
In the context of the prevailing situation, the former election commissioner said the 300 MPs have bee running the same number of “mini-governments” in their respective constituencies.
Former cabinet secretary Ali Imam Majumder said successive political governments have destroyed every public institution by politicising them.
“Now it is very important to bring a major reshuffle in the administration to depoliticise it before the next election “said the former top bureaucrat.
Justice Kazi Ebadul Haque, former SC Appellate Division judge, suggested introducing a 30-member interim government in view of the abolition caretaker government system.
The interim government can comprise 27 lawmakers from the two major political parties, who will not contest the next election. And the three other members can be taken from outside the political arena, he added.
Senior journalists ABM Musa and Syed Abul Maksud and Dhaka University Professor Mahbubullah alleged that it was now clear from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s recent speeches that her government was moving to hold a stage-managed election to retain power.
Justifying their allegation, they cited cancellation of the caretaker government system, allowing MPs to remain in office during polls and politicisation of the administration.
On Sujan’s formula, Media personality Muhammad Jahangir proposed inclusion of a leader from each of the political parties represented in the present parliament.
Courtesy of The Daily Star
