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The Daily Star Publie Debate

The Proposition is: Should the Next General Elections be Held under a Caretaker Government?
**Dr Khandoker Mosharraf Hossain, Minister for Energy and Mineral Resources and Member, Standing Committee, Bangladesh Nationalist Party argues against the proposition of the caretaker government.
Interviewed by Asiuzzaman***
***Some opposition leaders are now citing example* that the BNP got 31 per cent of the total vote cast in 1991 election and the opposition bagged 69 per cent. So the opposition demand reflects the public opinion.
If we consider this point, then we (BNP) should not have the right to rule the country. 1 think they forgot, that in a democratic or parliamentary system simple majority party forms the government. If we take their example into consideration, then election of none of the MPs is valid. In almost all the constituencies total votes of the defeated candidates must be higher than that of the winners.
If the opposition parties forge unity before the election they can secure 69 per cent or 70 per cent of the total votes and they can do anything they like in parliament. So election is the solution. After a prolonged boycott by the opposition, if we resign from the cabinet en masse then the president will ask the prime minister to continue till the next election. Then also a BNP government will remain in power. In this case also election is the only solution.
About the insistence of the opposition, I would like to say that if we sit on the opposition bench after the next election and submit a 19-point demand at the very opening day of the parliament session, ask the ruling party to implement it and warn that otherwise we will boycott the parliament, then what will be the situation} But BNP will not do that. Vie will wait for the next election. This is the difference between the politics of the Awami League and the BNP.
Finally, I would like to say we will not accept anything against the spirit of the Constitution.***
APTER the 12th amen dment to the Con stitutlon there is no scope for Installing a caretaker government. The 12th amendment has curtailed the power of the President and made him only a figurehead He can just call the majority party to farm the government, issue customary order to con vene parliament session and sign the bills passed by the parliament The spirit of the 12th amendment was to make the parliament the supreme body The spirit was that the country would be ruled by the parliament. The parliament will elect the President which can also Impeach him I am proud that we could bring about such an historic amend ment
We have experienced what a powerful President can do He always had a tendency to usurp power and enforce extra constitutional rule. The 12 th amendment has diminished the chances of such power grabbing. 1 think no party would like to give such chance to any president A powerful President can create a lot of problem in a parliamentary democracy
For example. Pakistan failed to curtail the constitutional power of the President. The former President first brought Benazir Bhutto to power then he dropped her and installed Newaz Sharif The Benazir government is now again in problem and such instability cause harm to a country As an outcome of such Instability the GDP growth has come down In Pakistan.
I think we have done a splendid job of institutionalising democracy by passing the 12th amendment and have no scope to return from that position. The caretaker proposition is directly contradictory to the spirit of the historic 12th amendment.
The opposition demand, as it stands today, is not accept-
able However, a dialogue can be opened between the opposition and the government or the ruling party and perhaps, we could arrive at some mu tually acceptable understanding.
According to the constitutional there Is no room for a caretaker government. And if
we want to make room for it. then we have to empower the President to appoint a caretaker government, and that may lead to an arbitrary selection of the head of a caretaker government.
Under the present system the president is elected by the parliament and generally, the nominee of the majority party wins that coveted position. How a President, who belongs to a party, can appoint a neutral person if he is given the discretion? On the other hand. In the present political situation It will be difficult to find
out a neutral person acceptable to all the parties Then what will be the option for the President? By which method we can chose a caretaker government?
A nine-year struggle against an autocratic ruler had brought the political parties closer, so they were able to reach a con
sensus to install a caretaker government. Now a democratic system is working and everyone Is involved in their own party politics. So. such a consensus Is a almost Impossible and if the present system can work, none would be Interested In becoming a President through palace conspiracy or coup. Democracy is a bit safer under this system.
Then come to the question of free and fair election. This Election Commission successfully and independently conducted several by- elections, paurasava elections, union
panshad elections and also the city corporation elections
We lost the capital and the port city of Chittagong in the mAyoral polls How was it pos slble if the election was not free? Nevertheless we are ready to strengthen the Elec tion Commission (EC) but the opposition should come to
parliament with a proposal for empowering the EC. The EC is able to conduct the next general election which will determine who will rule the country in future.
We repeatedly said that the people gave us mandate for five years and if the people do not like our programme they can reject us in the next election. This Is democratic practice. And in a democratic set up. the election is conducted by the Election Commission. People will be the deciding factor. No one has the right to overthrow an elected government.
We should not bow to any Im plausible or illegitimate de-
We must remember one thing, so far. in our history no elected government was able to complete its tenure. We have been given the mandate to do so. yet we are creating Issues one after another to prevent this government from creating its tenure.
Some opposition leaders are now citing examples that the BNP got 31 per cent of the total vote cast in 1991 election and the opposition bagged 69 per cent. So the opposition
demand reflects the public opinion
If we consider this point, then we (BNP) should not have the right to rule the country. I think they forgot, that in a democratic or parliamentary system simple majority party forms the government If we take their example into consideration. then election of none of the MPs is valid in almost all the constituencies total votes of the defeated candidates must be higher than that of the winners.
If the opposition parties forge unity before the election they can secure 69 per cent or 70 per cent of the total votes and they can do anything they like In parliament. So election is the solution. After a prolonged boycott by the opposition . if we resign from the cabinet en masse then the president will ask the prime minister to continue till the next election Then also a BNP government will remain in power. In thia case also election is the only solution.
. About the insistence of the opposition. I would like to say that if we sit on the opposition bench after the next election and submit a 19-point demand at the very opening day of the parliament session, ask the ruling party to implement it and warn that otherwise we will boycott the parliament, then what will be the situation? But BNP will not do that. We will wait for the next elec lion. This is the difference between the politics of the Awami League and the BNP
Finally. I would like to say we will not accept anything against the spirit of the Constitution.