Prime Minister Khaleda Zia yesterday categorically said nothing will take place beyond the constitution and the next general elections will be held under the caretaker government.

"We want peace and consensus. It does not mean that we have to accept whatever the opposition wants. Nothing will take place outside the purview of the constitution," Khaleda, also the chairpci -son of the ruling BNR told a public meeting at Kachua Degree College ground.

She said the constitution provides for caretaker government and it will remain. Three elections took place under the caretaker government and the next general

Nothing to take

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elections will also be held under the caretaker system.

Criticising the Awami League chief's call to the people to march toward Dhaka with sticks and oars in hands if the opposition's demand for electoral reform was not met, Khaleda said BNP is the biggest party in Bangladesh with lakhs and crores of leaders and workers under its command. "So such kind of threat will not work," she said.

"We will also see who create chaos in the country," she said, apparently throwing a counterchallenge, adding that they will hand over power to a caretaker government but remain in the country.

The prime minister emphatically said the people will give a befitting reply to those who are trying to "disrupt democratic process and unleash chaos" in the country.

Khaleda said if the opposition (AL) refrains from contesting the next election, it will lose its 58 seats in parliament and others will fill up those.

She said the opposition doesn't want to comply with the constitution, protect democracy and maintain development.

She blamed them for exploiting people by establishing one-party rule banning all political parties and snatching freedom of press and judiciary as well as people's fundamental rights. "And they now want to revert to that process again," she told her audience.

Prime Minister's Political Secretary Harris Chowdhury, State Minister for LGRD Ziaul Huq Zia, local MP and State Minister for Education Ehsanul Huq Milan and Alamgir Haider MP also addressed the meeting.

Earlier, the prime minister inaugurated the newly built Chandpur Polytechnic Institute in Kachua, Kachua fire service station, Kachua water supply and sanitation project and 50-bed Upazila Health complex.