Editors of national daily newspapers yesterday firmly stressed the need for strengthening the Election Commission (EC) for holding free and fair parliamentary polls.

Almost all the editors however favoured maintaining the caretaker government system due to the prevailing political situation, although a few of them termed the system undemocratic.

They proposed strictly limiting the tenure of caretaker governments and searching for alternatives to the current provision of appointing exchief justices as chief advisers to the interim governments. They said an alternative is necessary to keep the judiciary out of controversy.

Participating in talks with the parliamentary special committee on constitutional amendment some editors also said the caretaker government system should not remain

in the constitution for an indefinite period.

And few of them categorically suggested scrapping the system after one or two more parliamentary elections.

The talks were held in Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

Eighteen editors, out of the total 26 invited, participated in the consultation and thanked the special committee for holding the event. After the talks, many participants disclosed to reporters the suggestions they made to the committee.

"It is better not to retain the caretaker government system since it is against democracy. The Election Commission must be strengthened by appointing competent and acceptable people to hold free and fair polls," Prof Syed Anwar Hossain, editor of the Daily Sun, said.

Mohammad Atikullah Khan Masud, editor of a Bangla daily the Janakantha, said the EC should be given full authority to hold parliamentary polls in a free manner by scrapping the caretaker government system.

"We are accepting the caretaker government system due to the prevailing political situation. The system can be retained for holding one more parliamentary election," Golam Sarwar, editor of another Bangla daily the Samakal, said.

The editors suggested increasing the number of seats in the parliament including the number of reserved seats for women, stringent provisions for punishing extraconstitutional usurpation of state power — treating the offence as treason, amending article 70 to free MPs from absolute control of their parties in the House, and restoration of the parliament's authority to remove constitutional officers.

They also suggested strengthening the parliamentary standing committee system, taking steps to end die House boycott culture, keeping the speaker's office above partisan poli-tics, and introduction of a parliamentary confirmation system for appointments to constitutional posts, etc.

Almost all participants opposed keeping Islam's

status as the state religion, and keeping the phrase BISMILLAH-AR-RAHMAN-AR-RAHIM above the preamble of the constitution. A few editors however supported keepingthose.

Some editors urged the parties of the ruling alliance to take measures to ensure opposition parties' participation in the process of amending the constitution, to make it acceptable to all. They also said BNP-led opposition parties should join the process.

In response, Abdur Razzaq and Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, two members of the special committee, requested the editors to take steps to ensure that the main opposition BNP participates in the process.

The two committee members, who are also senior leaders of ruling Awami League, said they will continue their efforts to take opinions of the opposition parties on amending the constitution, meeting sources said.

Talking to reporters after the talks, Tofail Ahmed, another member of the special committee also a senior AL leader, said main opposition BNP did not nominate its MPs to work in the special committee, and it also did not join the talks declining the committee's invitation.

"The main opposition will get adequate time to give their opinion after we will place our report to the House on prospective changes to the constitution. They will also get time to express their views when the government will place a relevant bill in the parliament, " Tofail said.

Matiur Rahman, editor of a Bangla daily the Prothom Alo, urged the government to ensure the opposition's participation by any means, to make the constitution amendment process accept-

able to all.

"If the opposition's participation is not ensured, the process will be questioned and crisis will be created in future. It will be difficult to implement the changes which will be brought to the constitution," Matiur Rahman told reporters about his suggestion.

He also suggested introduction of a parliamentary confirmation system for appointments to constitutional posts, and increasing the number of seats in the parliament.

Mahfuz Anam, editor of The Daily Star, suggested an amendment to keep the office of the speaker above partisan politics, and to allow him or her function neutrally.

According to his proposal, a speaker will resign from the party post after being elected, and no political party will field candidate in his or her constituency in the next parliamentary election, so the immediate past speaker may win the poll uncontested.

He suggested increasing the number of MPs to 600 with a provision for electing one male and one female lawmaker from each of the 300 constituencies.

He also suggested that the special committee examine the issue of introducing an upper chamber of the parliament in future.

Mahmudur Rahman, editor of a Bangla daily the Amar Desh, proposed dissolving the current parliament and holding a fresh election to form a Constituent Assembly to frame a new constitution for the country.

AMM Bahauddin, editor of another Bangla daily the Inqilab, proposed maintaining Islam's status as the state refigion, and to keep allowing religion based political parties.