Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia yesterday said the Opposition could constitutionally resolve the current political Impasse created by themselves through their participation in the upcoming by-elections, reports UNB

If the opposition members wants to resolve the current crisis within the constitutional framework, there is an opportunity for them to Join the by-elections. They can participate in the by-elections and solve the problem."

Begum Zia made the remarks while talking to a' group of teachers of the Jahangirnagar University who came to her for exchanging views on various issues at 30 Hare Road last night.

The Prime Minister said being the majority party, the question of participation in the by-elections is not important for them (BNP).

Responding to the opposi-tion s demand, she said: "It is not possible for me to handover power to Chief Justice (CJ) and likewise it is not also possible for him (CJ) to assume the office of the Prime Minister "

The Prime Minister, however, said if the Chief

Justice is to be made the Prime Minister, he will have to resign first from his post, take part in the elections and win to become the leader of the majority party.

Begum Zia said: "I can handover power to an MP of my party, but not to the Chief Justice, because he (CJ) is not an elected person."

About the opposition's agi tation for an unelected man as the Prime Minister, she again cleared her position that there was no scope for realising the demand for op-posilion styled caretaker government "Nothing will be

done beyond the Constitution."

Begum Zia said the opposition parties want to remove the democratic government as happened in the case of the past autocratic regime.

The Prime Minister reminded that the autocratic regime snatched the state power at gun point in the darkness of night, but her government has assumed power through an unprecedented fair elections.

Referring to the Awami League's claim for establish lug people’s right to food Begum Zia said those who keep people inside their homes, do not allow rickshaw to ply. compel shop owners to shutter down and deprive day labourers of their income cannot establish the right to food.

Mentioning the opposition parties claim that hartal is democratic right, the Prime Minister said ruining the economy of the country keeping the people hostage, destruction of public and private property in the name of hartal cannot be democratic acts.

The iuncUon was also addressed by Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hos sain. Education Minister Jamiruddin Sircar. JU teach ers — Prof Salimullah Khan. Prof Maflzuddln Ahmed. Prof Mustahldur Rahman. Prof Imamuddin. Prof Enamul Huq, Prof Obaidur Rahman. Prof Shamsul Huq. Prof Abdul Awal. Prof Enayet Hossain. Prof Abu Taher Majumder, Dr Abdul Gani. Prof Mirza Maflzuddln Ahmed, Prof Hafiz Sharif. Prof Anwarul Huq Sharif. Naimul Islam. Farid Ahmed, Abdur Rab Nistar and Dr Feroza Begum.

All the teachers suggested the Prime Minister to run the country as per the Constitution and appreciated her stand regarding the solution of the current political crisis, created by the Opposition.

They opined that It was not wise to drag the judiciary into the whirlpool of politics.

They made some demands to the Prime Minister, including setting up of a telephone exchange on the campus, resolving the residential problem of teachers and creating more opportunity for the teachers in the field of higher education in abroad.

Begum Zia assured them of looking into their problems and advised them to build their students as worthy citizen of the country so that the pupils can take the responsibility to future and compete the challenge of the coming century.