Communica-tions minister Obaidul Quader said on Tuesday that the main Opposition BNP would be given 10-12 ministries if it joined the election-time government.
“There may be a big surprise. We hope the BNP will participate in the parliamentary election as most of its grassroots level leaders want to take part in the poll,” he told reporters at the secretariat on Tuesday. “The existence of the BNP will be at stake if it boycotts the election. The expectation of the government will be fulfilled if it joins the government and participates in the election,” Quader, a presidium member of the Awami League, said.
Seven leaders of the Jatiya Party (JP) have already taken oath as ministers and state ministers, Quader said. “The BNP will get 10 to 12 ministries if it so requires. We are waiting to see how many they would like to have.”
Replying to a question on who would be drafted into the government, he said: “It will be clear soon who are going to join the poll-time government and the number of cabinet posts.”
Environment and forests minister Dr Hasan Mahmud observed that it would not be surprising if anyone from the main Opposition BNP-led 18-party coalition joined the all-party poll-time government. “We are in touch with different political parties. Many senior leaders of some political parties are under pressure to join the poll-time government. It will not be surprising if some parties from the Opposition alliance join the government,” Hasan told reporters at the secretariat after a meeting with William Hanna, EU Ambassador to Bangladesh.
Speculation is rife about the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) joining the election-time government. However, a senior minister, who did not want to be named, said the government has not yet decided to include LDP and BJP leaders in the poll-time cabinet. LDP and BJP leaders are in touch with the Awami League leadership, the source claimed.
Regarding his talks with the EU Ambassador, Mahmud said: “They will like to see a peaceful election in which all political parties would take part. They do not want violence and anarchy. The diplomat hopes differences between the two major political parties will be resolved through dialogue.” Hanna, however, expressed serious concern over the recent violence during hartal, Mahmud said.
-With The Independent input
