Bashing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her remarks that there will be no retreat from their stance over the caretaker-government issue, opposition leader Khaleda Zia on Monday warned that the ruling party’s existence will be at stake if it sticks to its guns.
“The Prime Minister yesterday talked tall that she won’t move even by a hair breadth from her stance. The hair will be moving in the blowing wind. People will wage such a windy movement the hair will be tussled puzzling you,” she said. Khaleda continued: “Shun stubbornness, or else, you will not only lose your hair but you’ll also see your position shaken under the pressure of people’s movement.”
The BNP chief came up with the sharp reaction to the Prime Minister’s remarks while addressing a public rally arranged at Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital marking the 33rd founding anniversary of Swechchhasebak Dal.
At a press conference on Sunday, Sheikh Hasina rejected the opposition demand for restoration of the caretaker government system and said her government would not budge an inch from the constitutional provision in holding the next general election. “Everything will be done as per the Constitution, and there’ll be no budge even an inch from the constitutional provision,” she said.
Khaleda Zia said, “You’ll have to suffer in the future if you don’t restore the caretaker government system in time. Then we’ll have nothing to do.” Observing that the one-party polls will not be acceptable, the opposition leader said, “We have a very small demand… And the demand is to restore caretaker government system in the Constitution, by whatever name it may be called,” a signal that the opposition is ready to shed the term ‘caretaker government.’
The former premier said the provision of caretaker government system was not in the constitution in 1996. “We incorporated it taking into consideration the welfare of the people of the country and democracy. Since then, the national election has been held under the system in a credible manner.”
Mentioning that her party does not want to wage any movement, Khaleda Zia said, we want to create a congenial atmosphere for the next election through discussions. “Still, there is time.. Parliament will go into its session. You have the majority in the House. So, place the caretaker government bill and restore it to the Constitution paving the way for holding a free and fair election.” – UNB
