Interim Govt for Polls
Unelected people not to be in govt
AL, allies respond to BNP’s reported formulas
The Awami League-led ruling grand alliance will not accept any proposal or formula of an unelected interim government to conduct the next parliamentary elections. Leaders of the alliance have vehemently rejected main opposition BNP’s idea of forming a non-party caretaker government.
BNP thinks a caretaker government either comprised of 10 former Supreme Court justices or 10 eminent personalities nominated by AL and BNP could be formed to conduct the election.
However, according to grand alliance leaders, BNP must come up with specific proposal which does not clash with the constitution.
“There is no scope for handing over power to an unelected government to conduct the parliamentary elections,” said AL acting general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif.
He said they could never accept such proposal from BNP as AL did not believe in the concept of unelected government.
Only the elected people, who have been given people’s mandate, could be in an interim government as earlier made clear by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, said Hanif, also the PM’s special assistant.
He said discussions could be held with BNP but only on the PM’s proposal and strengthening of Election Commission to hold the next election in a free, fair and credible manner.
AL’s key ally Jatiya Party (JP) has termed the idea of a caretaker government “old wine in a new bottle”.
“There is no scope for holding a discussion on it,” JP presidium member Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu told The Daily Star. He also termed BNP’s idea “narrow” as it did not go with multi-party democracy.
Bablu said JP was strongly against the non-elected caretaker government and would not accept such provision again after the 15th amendment to the constitution that had scrapped the provision of caretaker government.
Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon said let BNP place its formal proposal and discussion could be held then.
Menon, also an AL lawmaker, said it would not be possible to form an interim government comprised of unelected elements under the present constitutional framework.
He said the opposition would have to move forward accepting the Supreme Court verdict on the constitution. Besides, no elections held under a non-party unelected government since 1991 had been acceptable to the opposition parties, he added.
Menon said the constitution would need to be amended further to restore the caretaker government system but it would not be possible under the present context.
Dilip Barua, general secretary of Samyabadi Dal, said they owned the concept of interim government, which was being practised in India and other parliamentary democracies in the world.
“It is logical to hold the next election under an interim government,” he said. On BNP’s stance, Dilip, also the minister for industries, said as a political party the opposition had the right to make any demand and time would make their stance clear.
Courtesy of The Daily Star
