Akbar Ali Khan and Kamal Hossain brief the media after meeting President Md Abdul Hamid at the Bangabhaban on Tuesday
The President is looking for a way out of the current political crisis, former caretaker government advisor Akbar Ali Khan has said.
“He is trying to resolve the pre-polls political standoff,” he said, speaking to reporters on Tuesday after meeting Md Abdul Hamid at the Bangabhaban.
Khan, Dr Kamal Hossain and Sultana Kamal led a six-strong civil society delegation to the evening meeting.
The manoeuvre came in the backdrop of a 48-hour Bangladesh-wide violent blockade by the Opposition to protest against announcement of the election schedule.
The delegation included another former caretaker government advisor Jamilur Reza Chowdhury, lawyer Shahdeen Malik and Sushasoner Jonno Nagorik (Sujon) General Secretary Badiul Alam Mojumder.
After a nearly one-and-half-hour-long meeting, Akbar Ali Khan told reporters, “We have told the President of our concerns. But he has his limitations.”
“Still, he is trying to find a solution to this situation. The President has told us that he won’t be able to do anything officially because of his constitutional bindings. Instead, he will do things unofficially.”
Asked whether they made any proposal for a solution, Khan said, “We did not make any specific suggestions. We just said that democracy will be at stake if the election is held without the Opposition’s participation.”
The former caretaker government advisor reminded the political parties of their responsibility to end the impasse.
“The President alone doesn’t have the solution. It’s the responsibility of the [political] alliances too.”
But the civil society delegation told the President that they would be around should he need advice.
Though each of them represents different organisations, the call on the President was made on their own, said Ganaforum President Kamal Hossain.
Asked whether they had any plans to meet the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader, Akbar Ali Khan said, “You don’t get any solution by meeting the political rivals. And that’s why we won’t be meeting them.”
The meeting with the President had begun around 6:30pm. Two cars carrying the civil society delegation entered the presidential palace around 6:15pm.
Khan, a former Secretary, had said before the meeting they would make “just one appeal to the President, which is “he should take initiative to resolve the ongoing political crisis”.
“We will appeal to the President to ensure that the normalcy is restored through an acceptable election with the participation of all.”
The BNP-led 18-Party alliance is on the streets demanding installation of a ‘non-party’ government to supervise the next polls.
The ruling Awami League, on the other hand, is steadfast on its stand that next parliamentary election will be held under the supervision of an ‘all-party’ government.
The Election Commission on Monday announced that the 10th parliamentary election will take place on Jan 5.
The opposition alliance quickly rejected the election roadmap and enforced a 48-hour blockade of road, rail and water transports starting from 6am on Tuesday.
Source: Bd news24
