Thursday, May 24, 2012

We warned you, Suranjit tells BNP,Bangladesh


BANGLADESH NEWS

 Senior Awami League leader Suranjit Sengupta has snapped back at the opposition for criticising cases lodged against its leaders under the Speedy Trial Tribunal Act.

"We had opposed the law when it was being passed. We had warned that the law might backfire on you [BNP]," the Awami League presidium member remarked on Thursday.

Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and 34 other BNP top ranks are currently in jail charged for bombing on the Secretariat premises and arson during opposition's recent strikes. All their bail pleas have been turned down.

"It was they who removed the provision of bail after chargesheet submission," Suranjit said, adding, "Mr. Moudud knows better than me."

Moudud Ahmed, who has condemned not bailing the opposition leaders, was the law minister in the BNP-led government when the Speedy Trial Tribunal Act was passed.

Former Railway Minister Suranjit Sengupta, after lying low for a short duration following his personal secretary's alleged involvement in a cash scandal, regained his vocal mannerism after a Rail Division probe found nothing against him.

On the caretaker government issue, he urged the opposition to propose an alternative plan.

"Come to parliament and propose an alternative. I promise that it will not be sent to vote [immediately]. We will discuss it first," Suranjit, who headed the committee on the 15th Amendment of the Constitution, said.

"If BNP has an alternative proposal, Awami League will agree even to further amendments. But no more of that caretaker theory in this country," he added.

The senior parliamentarian says there is no fear of another 1/11 happening in the country, though the main political parties appear to be heading for a collision course.

"The world isn't like that anymore. Democracy prevails everywhere – that is my message to those who are divining another 1/11. Next time there will be nothing but a peaceful transition of power," he replied to questions.

However, Rashed Khan Menon, MP and president of ruling ally Workers' Party, warned that the 'players of 1/11' are once again active. "Statement after statement, talk show after talk show, they are trying to push democracy towards crisis," he said.

"Dialogue is not a new theory in a democratic state," Suranjit said, possibly alluding to the US Secretary of State's Hillary Clinton's call. "But there can be no dialogue beyond the Constitution."

"There can be no negotiation if they ask that all their demands be met first," he added.

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