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Dialogue With President

BNP to press for caretaker govt

Khaleda to lead 10-member team

Rashidul Hasan
In today's talks with President Zillur Rahman, BNP will stick to its core demand — restoration of caretaker government system, party leaders have said.
Led by party Chairperson Khaleda Zia, a 10-member BNP delegation will place before the president their "strong logics" to justify the demand, and request the president to take immediate steps for reinstating the system.
"During the talks, our point of discussion will be restoration of the caretaker government system and holding of the next general elections under it," BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan toldThe Daily Star last night.
The dialogue is scheduled to start at 11:00am at Bangabhaban. The party will brief the media about the outcome of the talks at 2:00pm at its Naya Paltan office.
As part of the party's final preparation, the BNP chief sat in two phases with members of the standing committee, the highest policy-making body, at her Gulshan office in the capital last night, said RA Ghani, a standing committee member.
The government in June last year scrapped the caretaker system through the fifteenth amendment to the constitution, allowing parliamentary polls to be held under political government. The main opposition party opposed the amendment, and now maintains it will not go to polls unless held under a non-party caretaker government.
Against this backdrop, the president on December 22 last year started the talks with the political parties to discuss formation of the new Election Commission. The tenure of the current commission expires on February 14.
So far, 21 political parties went to the discussion table. Of them, at least 12 parties recommended reinstatement of the caretaker system.
However, seven political parties, most of whom are partners of the Awami League-led ruling alliance, spoke against the system. They instead stressed the need for strengthening the election commission.
BNP initially criticised the president's initiative and termed it unconstitutional, but finally decided to join the dialogue.
Veteran AL leader Suranjit Sengupta, who has been recently appointed railways minister, yesterday hailed the main opposition's decision.
“By taking the decision, BNP has proved that it believes in constitution and also democratic practice within the party,” he told reporters at his Railway Bhaban office.
Despite political differences, BNP understood the importance of the talks, he said, adding, “We can sense
some sort of unity in it."
Talking to The Daily Star, a BNP leader said they would also make it a point to the president that the judiciary, the civil administration and the law enforcement agencies have been deeply politicised under the current government.
In addition, ensuring a congenial atmosphere for a free and fair election is impossible under a political government, he added.
Another senior BNP leader, who was supposed to be in the BNP delegation, said, “We'll tell the president that a huge number of government and law enforcement officials, including deputy commissioners, superintendents of police and upazila executive officers who play vital roles in elections, will not act neutrally unless a caretaker government is in place.
"The Election Commission will not be able to hold a free and fair election as it would have to work under a political government."
In addition to pointing out all these verbally, BNP will submit a written statement covering their main arguments in favour of the caretaker system, he said.
Following instructions by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the president initiated talks with the political parties having representation in parliament and registration with the EC.
However, Jamaat-e-Islami, which has two seats in parliament, was not invited to the talks for its anti-liberation role. The party opposed the country's liberation and sided with the Pakistani occupation forces during the 1971 LiberationWar.
YESTERDAY'S TALKS Joining the talks, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish yesterday proposed reinstating the caretaker government system before formation of the new Election Commission.
Another political party -Ganotantrick Islami Oikya Jote - proposed to take legal steps for extending tenure of the present commission as well as to appoint two more election commissioners.