The BNP has threatened to thwart the approaching general elections if the nonpartisan caretaker government provision is not reinstated in the Constitution through an amendment.
Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir sounded the warning at a discussion on Thursday evening, hours after Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury announced the elections would be organised any time between Oct 25 this year and Jan 24 next as per the Constitution.
Fakhrul said, “We have made it clear to the government that no elections will take place under the incumbent government and its puppet Election Commission. No elections will be allowed with a non-party caretaker government overseeing it.”
The BNP leader asked the leaders and activists to prepare for a movement to push the government to meet its demand for reinstating the caretaker government.
The government brought the 15th Amendment to the Constitution to do away with the election-time caretaker government provision.
Now the Constitution provides for holding national elections under the present government and without dissolution of Parliament.
However, the BNP has been opposing the provision and agitating to press restoration of the caretaker government system, claiming that the elections will not be free and fair under a party government.
Amid the conflicting stance, Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury on Thursday told Parliament that the next election would be held sometime between Oct 25 and Jan 24.
The BNP abstained from joining the last session of the current Parliament though it has been demanding an amendment to the statute.
Fakhrul said: “The Prime Minister is repeatedly citing the Constitution as an excuse. This Constitution has been written to serve the people. It’s not the Quran or Bible that cannot be changed.”
He was speaking at a discussion on BNP’s Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman’s political thoughts about Bangladesh organised by Ziaur Rahman Foundation at the Institution of Engineers< Bangladesh auditorium in the afternoon.
The spokesperson said Tarique was working for the future development of the country even in exile.
“Tarique Rahman wants changes in the country’s political culture. That’s why he greeted Prime Minister’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy when he came to the country. In return, Joy slandered him.”
He bashed the government for ‘obstructing’ political programmes, formulating policy to ‘control the media’ and taking legal measures against Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.
Source: Bd news24