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Doors shut for free, fair polls

Khaleda for repeal of amendment, sees confrontation ahead

Staff Correspondent
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia said yesterday political confrontation has become inevitable after parliament rescinded the constitutional provision that
general elections are overseen by non-partisan caretaker government.
“All the possibilities of holding free, fair, neutral and competitive elections are now gone,” Khaleda told a crowded press conference at her Gulshan office in the capital soon after parliament passed the 15th amendment to the constitution abolishing the 15-year-old caretaker government system.
“It has shut the doors to handing over power in a democratic and peaceful way,” she said. The republic's charter "has now become a party manifesto of Awami League".
BNP, its allies lamaat-e-Islami and BJP, which have 38
seats in the 345-member parliament, have been boycotting the House since the start of the current session.
Khaleda said the AL-led ruling coalition has amended the constitution despite protests from the opposition, and by ignoring aspirations of the people. “The consequences will not be good,” she warned. Elections will be farcical if held keeping the prime minister, cabinet and parliament in effect in the name of an interim government.
The leader of the opposition in parliament also alleged that there are a lot of contradictions in the 15th amendment and even many mistakes and irregularities have been made while passing it hastily..."It is a disgraceful day in the national history," she said.
Rejecting the prime minister's statement that constitution could be amended again if the opposition comes up with fair proposals, the BNP chairperson said discussion cannot be held with such conditions. “Why there was so rush to amend the constitution if the government had the minimum interest in listening to the opposition's fair proposals,” she wondered
Khaleda also said she is determined to go for a tougher movement to protect people's right and urged all to participate in the movement. This government has taken all steps to snatch people's right to vote through its design to hold a "farcical election under a political government,” she alleged.
"Come forward to achieve the final victory by facing conspiracies and repressions in the street. We must win. Be united, active and vocal. There is nothing to fear. Autocratic ruler will be defeated,” she said appealing to the people.
The former prime minister said the latest amendment also hurt the religious sentiment of the majority Muslims as it eliminated the words Supreme Faith on Allah from the constitution.
She also criticised the new definition of nationalism and citizenship inserted in the constitution. “Now confusion will arise about the nationalism and citizen-
ship,” she said, adding amalgamation of the state religion and secularism will make it a nation without direction.
The BNP chief alleged that sacrifices of the people, national leaders and heroes in the Liberation War were denied, while efforts were made to put a specific party and person above the nation through the amendment.
“Like the imposition of Baksal, you are now using your power once again to declare war against the people. You have made all systems to snatch people's right to vote. You have to take the responsibilities for all this,” she said pointing to the rul-ingAL.
Bitterly criticising recently retired chief justice ABM Khairul Haque, who declared the 5th [that ratified the regime of late president Ziaur Rahman] and 13th amendments to the constitution [that introduced caretaker system] illegal, Khaleda said only parliament has the jurisdiction to change the people's charter.
She said the government used the court verdict as an excuse because it does not have the courage to take the responsibility of amending the constitution.
“The fifth amendment is an instrument of withdrawing military rule, not the document of imposing martial law. This amendment restored the rights which were taken away by imposing Baksal rule,” Khaleda said. No court has the right to declare the fifth amendment void.
She said there was no necessity of bringing any change in the constitution to abolish he caretaker system even if the verdict given by Khairul Haque is followed.
“As per the verdict no change is needed before the 12th parliament elections. The next two elections can be held under the caretaker government system” she added.
Khaleda also criticised the provision that the speaker, and not the chief justice, will administer oath of office to the president. “This is unprecedented and motivated," she said.
People have no interest in returning to the 1972 constitution as it did not reflect
their aspirations, she said.
Khaleda, whose BNP staged three days of hartals on the caretaker government issue in June, did not announce any new protest programme. She parried all questions about protest programmes.
Senior leaders of the party including acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir were present at the press conference.