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All-party govt by mid-Nov

PM hopes BNP to join polls-time cabinet; elections likely in last week of December

M Abul Kalam Azad and Hasan Jahid Tusher
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will form an all-party polls-time government by mid-November whether the main opposition BNP joins it or not.
To this end, the PM will start holding talks with other political parties. As part of the process, she will speak with the leaders of the Communist Party of Bangladesh and Samajtantrik Dal of Bangladesh at Gono Bhaban this evening.
Hasina, also president of the ruling Awami League, wants the electiontime cabinet to start functioning under her leadership immediately after the Election Commission announces the polls schedule in the second week of next month.
She unveiled the plan at the weekly cabinet meeting at the secretariat yesterday, several ministers told The Daily Star.
At the meeting, Hasina told her cabinet colleagues that she wanted the election to be held by mid-January.
"If the BNP does not join, we will form the polls-time government with lawmakers from other parties. However, I still believe the BNP will take part in the dialogue and in the election," a minister quoted the premier as saying, requesting anonymity.
At the meeting, ministers discussed the plan and extended their full support for it. Hasina told them that MPs of different political parties, except for the Jamaat-e-Islami, will be included in the interim cabinet, meeting sources said.
If the BNP agrees to join the government, it would be a 10-member plus administration. Otherwise it would be smaller, according to the sources.
Most of the MPs will be drawn from the AL and other political parties in the ruling grand alliance.
On October 18, the prime minister in a televised address to the nation offered forming an all-party election-time government. Three days later, BNP chief Khaleda Zia came up with a proposal for forming a non-party interim administration.
None of them has shown any sign to shift
from the stance.
At yesterday's meeting, the cabinet also decided to tackle the bomb attacks, vandalism, arson and violence by the BNP-led 18-party alliance with an iron hand to ensure security of the people.
Hasina has already directed the law enforcement agencies to prevent such destructive activities. A visibly angry Hasina also ordered the ministers and their deputies to tackle such "anarchy" boldly, a minister said.
Talking to The Daily Star after the meeting, a senior minister said: "If the BNP does not come, lawmakers from other parties will be included in the polls-time cabinet."
He added that they had nothing to do if the BNP did not join the interim administration.
On the size of the government, he said it was yet to be finalised. "A few members will be added while many will be excluded from the existing 52-member cabinet. There will be a major reshuffle in the cabinet if the BNP does not join."
He said the cabinet division is making
preparation for an oath taking ceremony for those who will be in the polls-time government, which will take no major policy decision.
The cabinet thanked Hasina for calling Khaleda despite her ultimatum, when Hasina said her call was part of the initiative for dialogues with different political parties.
MEETING WITH OTHER PARTIES
Cabinet sources said the prime minister spoke to CPB President Mujahidul Islam Selim and BSD chief Khalequzzaman about having dialogues with them at Gono Bhaban at 7:00pm today.
Meanwhile, AL Presidium Member Mohammad Nasim spoke with Anwar Hossain Manju, chairman of Jatiya Party (Manju), about the talks with the prime minister.
Hasina told the cabinet that she would also speak to leaders of Gono Forum, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, Liberal Democratic Party, Democratic Left Alliance and Krishak Sramik Janata league about the formation of the polls-time government.