The Awami League (AL) would have to reach a consensus over the election-time non-partisan government, if it wants to stay in mainstream politics, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) standing committee member Moudud Ahmed said on Saturday. “The Awami League has time till October 24, to reach a mutual compromise over the poll-time administration. I believe the government will do so within the time-frame, if it wants to stay in mainstream politics,” Moudud said.
“Otherwise, our ongoing movement will gain a new dimension from October 25, and, at one stage, the government will be forced to do so in the face of a mass movement,” he warned.
He was addressing a discussion meeting marking the ‘Sixth Jail Release Day of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Senior Vice Chairman of the Party Tarique Rahman’ at the National Press Club on Saturday.
Issuing a fresh threat about organising a vigorous movement, he said his party is prepared to hold a dialogue with the government, to overcome the country’s prevailing political standoff. “We are ready to sit for dialogue, anytime, anywhere. But the government has to take the initiative, first, in this regard,” he added.
About the framework of the poll-time administration, Moudud pointed out that the 13th Amendment to the Constitution provided the outline of the provisions for a non-party election-time government.
“This framework has to be restored to the charter. Discussions can be held to determine who the chief adviser of the election-time administration would be,” the former law minister added.
He criticised the government for its move to hold the next general elections under its own management, while keeping the Parliament active.
“My forecast is that the government would be forced to step aside from its stand, as this is clearly unrealistic,” he said, adding that there has been no instance across the world, in which, a national election has been held without dissolving the parliament.
Moudud Ahmed said there was growing confusion among the people, whether the next general elections will be held or not. The government is deliberately creating a confrontational situation in the country,” he alleged.
“However, I’m sure that the next general elections must be held. And they would be held under the supervision of a non-party caretaker government (CG),” he said.
“Otherwise, the government will meet a tragic end in the face of a mass upsurge,” Moudud Ahmed warned.
The government is imperilling the country’s democracy, by attempting to hold the general elections under a party management, he alleged.
Jatiyatabadi Palli Chikitshak Dal had organised the discussion. Its convener, MM Maruf Hossain, was in the chair.
At a separate function, opposition chief whip, Zainul Abdin Farroque, said his party will take part in the current session of the ninth Parliament, if the government places the CG amendment bill in the House. “We want free, fair and participatory national elections. The CG provision is the precondition to make the elections acceptable to all,” he said.
“We will participate in Parliament if the government places the CG bill during its next session,” he said, adding that the government would be forced to step aside from its position, when faced with a mass movement.
Earlier, at a press conference held at the party’s Naya Paltan central office, BNP joint secretary-general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi criticised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, for his remark that the country’s development and progress will be halted if BNP-Jamaat comes to power.
Sajeeb Wazed Joy, who is also the information technology affairs adviser to the PM, had said on Friday that militancy will erupt again, across the country, if BNP-Jamaat comes to power.
Rejecting the allegation by the PM’s son, Rizvi—who is also the office secretary of the party—dismissed the statement as politically motivated and baseless. People of the country have been disappointed with the speech, he said. The country would be plunge into a deep crisis, if the Awami League comes to power again, Rizvi said.
-With The Independent input
