Law Minister Shafique Ahmed on Sunday ruled out amending the Constitution to uphold the caretaker government system during the Parliament session from September 12. “No step has been taken yet to bring an amendment to the Constitution in the next Parliament session,” the minister said. He was talking to reporters after attending at an assembly of Bangladesh Peace Council-2013 at the national museum here. Ahmed said the Election Commission (EC) was a constitutional body and it was the EC’s duty to conduct general election.
“The apex court has annulled the 13th amendment to the Constitution as it was contradictory with the country’s charter, spirit of democracy as well as the independence of the judiciary. Hence, the caretaker government system cannot be upheld as per the opposition’s demand,” he said.
“The opposition should understand that the Constitution is the supreme law of the country. Therefore, the general election would be held in accordance with the Constitution,” he added.The minister explained that the election-time government’s duties were to conduct the day to day affairs of the administration, but it was not entitled to make any principle decision. “There is no need to amend the Constitution for the election time government and no step has been taken in this regard,” he added.
Some TV channels and newspapers on August 27 had quoted the law minister as saying that a small cabinet led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina would be formed during the next national election. The reports had quoted Ahmed as saying: “If the opposition wants to be included in the cabinet, they were welcome to be part of it.”
In response to the reports, BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed had alleged that the government was plotting to amend the Constitution again.
On the same day, Awami League presidium member Mohammad Nasim had said that the law minister would present the outline of the election-time government in the forthcoming Parliament session.
The minister, however, refused to comment on the debate over his remarks. He also evaded a question on a timeline for dissolution of the present Parliament.
World Peace Council vice-president Mozaffar Hossain Paltu, Peace Council adviser Dr Sarwar Ali, Awami League advisory council members Suranjit Senguta and Yusuf Hossain Humayun, Communist Party of Bangladesh president Mujahidul Islam Selim and president of Workers’ Party of Bangladesh Rashed Khan Menon also addressed the meeting.
-With The Independent input
