The BNP has reiterated its threat to keep away from national elections held under partisan government. Party’s spokesman Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also rejected Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s outline of an election-time government.
“The Prime Minister has shut herself up to a possible agreement [with the opposition] by deciding to organise the election under the government,” he said at a media briefing on Tuesday.
Hasina had told secretaries on Monday that the forthcoming national polls will be held in keeping with the Constitution and the current government will oversee it.
She had said the government would not take major decisions once the election schedule has been announced.
Fakhrul said: “We’d like to make it clear that the [opposition] 18-Party alliance is not accepting the decision.”
Tuesday’s briefing was organised after a meeting of the opposition alliance in reaction to Hasina’s statement.
The BNP Acting Secretary General said there was not a single example of a parliament election with the House in place. “But the Prime Minster is reiterating that polls in Bangladesh will take place like other democracies.”
Leading opposition party BNP has been campaigning for a non-party poll-time administration ever since the 15th Amendment to the Constitution scrapped the caretaker government provision to oversee election.
It says a national election under a partisan body will not be ‘free and fair’.
“We will not take part in the election without a caretaker government in place,” the BNP spokesperson said claiming the people would not accept such elections.
He said the ‘crisis’ can be solved if the Prime Minister wanted.
Fakhrul claimed the ruling coalition was ‘conspiring’ to stay in power.
“They (the ruling coalition) basically want to establish a BAKSAL-type government.
“We believe the people will lose their basic rights if they (ruling coalition) retain power because people want change.”
The then Awami League government introduced one-party Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League (BAKSAL) rule in 1975.
Fakhrul said the opposition will intensify its agitation for restoration of the caretaker system.
He said details of the agitation would be announced ‘later at an appropriate time’.
The meeting discussed preparations for rallies at Narsinghdi, Rangpur, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal and Sylhet ahead of BNP chief Khaleda Zia’s visit in September.
Fakhrul also condemned the detention of Jamiyate Ulamaye Islam Secretary General Mufti Muhammad Wakkas. The party is a member of the BNP-led coalition.
“The charges brought against him are politically motivated,” he claimed.
Police detained Wakkas, a State Minister during HM Ershad’s regime, from Dhaka on Monday in a case filed over Hifazat-e Islam’s May 5 rally.- UNB
