Ex-advisers, jurists say after meeting president
A team of civil society members on Tuesday evening urged the president to act within his constitutional authority to resolve the ongoing police impasse as the democracy ‘may be endangered’ if the next general election is held without the participation of the BNP. “The democracy in the country may be jeopardized if the general election is held without the participation of the main opposition party,” Akbar Ali Khan, one of the delegation members and a former caretaker government adviser, told reports after the meeting with President Abdul Hamid.
He also said that the whole nation is worried and that the present situation is an ominous sign for the country.
The delegation called on the president at Bangabhaban to express their anxiety over the ongoing political standoff in the country.
“The main objective of our meeting with the president was to express concern over the volatile political situation,” Khan said, adding that the president assured them that he would remain active in this regard within the purview of the constitution.
Dr Kamal Hossein, another member of the delegation, said, “We are not sure that he (president) would be able to resolve the crisis but he gave us his assurance.”
Asked why they met the president as he had some constitutional limitations in taking any move in this regard, Kamal said, “We met him as we had nowhere to go.” He also said the people want that the election should be free, fair and acceptable to all.
Sultana Kamal, another member of the delegation and a former adviser to a caretaker government, said, “As a citizen, everyone has some responsibility. So we are not sitting idle, we are working and hope something fruitful will come out.”
The delegation members, however, avoided the question regarding any possibility of military intervention in this situation. The delegation also assured the president of extending all out co-operation, if necessary, to resolve the crisis.
Asked whether they would meet the leaders of AL and the BNP, Akbar Ali Khan said, “We cannot get any result in meeting them as they are the rival political parties.”
Ehsanul Karim Helal, the press secretary of the president, said a six-member delegation of the civil society met the president to express concern over volatile political situation in the country. They demanded a smooth solution to the volatile politics in the country.
The president assured that all concerned would be informed about their anxiety, within the framework of the constitution, the press secretary said.
The delegation members also sought an election participated by all political parties. They did not demand shifting of the election schedule; rather, expressed their opinion in favour of holding the election by January 24, 2014.
The president also told them that the outcome of the dialogue with the 18-party alliance had been communicated to the government. “You have already seen the reflection of that dialogue,” Karim quoted the president as saying.
Badiul Alam Majumder, Shahdin Malik and Jamilur Reza Chodhury were the other members of the delegation.
-With The Independent input
