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CARETAKER, EC REFORM DEMAND

Opposition plans to match '96 agitation

SHAKHAWAT LITON and SHAMEEM MAHMUD
The mainstream opposition parties plan to launch street agitation at the end of the next month over a one-point demand for reforms to the caretaker government system and the Election Commission (EC) in an
attempt to strengthen antigovernment movement.
They are eyeing to launch the agitation similar to the one it had waged against the previous BNP government from 1995 to 1996 for introduction of the caretaker government system.
The street agitation that the main
opposition Awami League (AL) and its left-leaning allies started in November last year appears to have lost steam in recent days due to their being busy finalising the proposal for the electoral reforms.
The opposition is likely to launch fresh agitation programmes once
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they finalise the proposals.
The AL Central Working Committee will sit on May 12 where the issue of electoral reforms will top the meeting agenda, the party insiders said. The party leaders are now busy with the May 9 election to Chittagong City Corporation.
"The May 12 meeting of the Central Working Committee composed of all members of the Awami League central committee will discuss the issue for the first time," a senior policymaker of the party said "The leaders will give their opinions on a draft report on the caretaker government and EC reforms, which has been prepared by party advisers and based on their suggestions a concrete proposal will be finalised."
"Reforms proposal may take a new shape after the city corporation election if the ruling alliance attempts to rig the voting," he added.
The left 11-Party alliance and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal have drafted a set of proposals on the issues, but the opposition camp will make a common proposal on the basis of the drafts. The left-leaning parties will sit with AL President Sheikh Hasina shortly, once she returns to Dhaka from Rangpur, to devise a strategy for movement on the electoral reform issue.
"The Awami League will coordinate its reform proposals with other parties who have already made some proposals on the issue," AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil told The Daily Star.
President of the Workers Party of Bangladesh Rashed Khan Menon said they would focus on reforms to the caretaker government system and the EC in their next antigovernment movement. Menon said they are trying to agree to a common set of proposal on the issue.
"We are hopeful about [having a final proposal] before May 22 when a new chief election commissioner takes office," Menon said on the possible date for finalisation of the proposals.
Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad is scheduled to place his formula for the reforms today.
Senior leaders of the opposition parties believe it will be suicidal to go to the next national election under the existing caretaker provision and without getting the EC strengthened.
Indications are also there that the opposition parties may altogether sit out the next election should the BNP-led coalition government reject their demands. The AL and its allies have agreed to boycott the polls if the government rejects their demands.
"We are in informal talks with other opposition parties including Jatiya Party of Ershad for taking a similar decision," an AL presidium member said.
The opposition will closely watch the government move on appointment of a new chief election commissioner (CEC) when incumbent CEC MA Syed's term ends on May 22. The opposition parties in their draft reform proposals have asked the government to appoint a new CEC in consultation with the major political parties.
"We will react sharply if the government does not consult the opposition parties in appointing the new chief to the Election Commission," a senior AL policymaker told The Daily Star, wishing anonymity.
"We have already made our position clear that we want reforms to the caretaker government system and a strengthened Election Commission for a free and fair election," AL presidium member Suranjit Sengupta told The Daily Star.
"The appointment of the caretaker chief and chief election commissioner will be made on the basis of a consensus. Only persons acceptable to most of the political parties can be made the chiefs," he added.
The opposition parties are also demanding that the powers of the president, a constitutional figurehead, be curtailed during the caretaker regime.
"The defence portfolio should be transferred from the president to the caretaker government during the election period as the president is a party man," AL presidium member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim told The Daily Star.