BNP senior leader Moudud Ahmed on Monday said an election-time government like that of 1991 can be formed without amending the Constitution to hold the next general election in a credible and acceptable manner.
“Constitution can’t be a barrier to people’s welfare as the charter is meant for people, but people are not meant for it. Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed, then the sitting Chief Justice, became the head of the interim government in 1991 going beyond the Constitution. It was later rectified through the 11th amendment. We can also follow it now,” he said.
Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader also said the government is now trying to form an election-time cabinet going beyond the Constitution as there’s no such provision in the current charter. “This means a non-party neutral government also can be formed as per our demand going beyond the Constitution.”
Moudud, a BNP standing committee member, urged the government to come forward to install an out-of-constitution polls-time neutral government like that of Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed-led to ‘restore’ democracy, and establish a true representative government through a credible election.
Nasir Uddin Ahmed Pintu Smrity Sangsad arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club demanding the release of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and all other political prisoners.
Moudud said the next election will not be fair if it is overseen by an election-time cabinet of the current government, led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The BNP leader also said though the ruling party is now calling the non-party neutral-government system is unconstitutional, the same party claimed it was their brainchild, and enforced hartals for 173 days in 1995-96 for including it in the charter.
About their party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s US tour, he said it seems the Prime Minister and ruling party senior leaders are making ‘unguarded’ remarks on his visit out of their worry and nervousness.
Moudud said Fakhrul never told anyone he was going to meet the United Nations Secretary General. “But they (govt) are making negative and false remarks on it.”
Referring to the BNP secretary general’s meeting with UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Miroslav Jenča at the UN headquarters, he said Fakhrul only depicted the country’s present scenario at the meeting, not lodged any complaint.
“It was our secretary general’s responsibility to present the real condition of the country, the rule of law, judiciary and the basic rights. He also presented the statics on extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances which made the government nervous,” Moudud observed.
source: UNB
