The BNP has demanded the holding of the forthcoming national elections under a non-party caretaker government despite a constitutional amendment scrapping the provision.
Party’s Standing Committee member Moudud Ahmed said mass movements would compel holding of elections under a caretaker administration irrespective of Constitutional provision.
“A non-party government will be established [to oversee the national polls] through street agitations if the government does not reach an agreement [with the opposition],” he warned, while taking part in a discussion in Dhaka on Wednesday.
The BNP and its allies have been carrying on a movement, seeking the restoration of the election-time non-party government which the government, aided by a previous Supreme Court verdict, scrapped through the 15th constitutional amendment two years ago.
As per the Constitution, the next polls must be held within the last 90 days of the government’s tenure, in this case within Jan 24 next year.
The opposition alleges polls under the incumbent government will be ‘rigged’, a claim the ruling party has been stoutly denying.
“It doesn’t matter whether the Constitution is amended or not, the parliamentary election will take place under a non-party government,” Moudud asserted.
The BNP leader recalled the ouster of military ruler HM Ershad through mass movement and the inclusion of the non-party caretaker government in the Constitution in 1996 in the wake of opposition Awami League’s agitations.
“Incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had then (in 1996) written to then Prime Minister Khaleda Zia saying they would not contest polls without a non-party government’s supervision.
“We (the BNP-led government) were forced to add the non-party government system in the Constitution,” he said.
The former Law Minister said the people are “above the Constitution”.
He saw no possibility a free and fair election under Hasina’s administration.
“We’d like to warn the government that if you do not amend the Constitution, we’ll launch street protests,” said Moudud.
-BDnews
