BNP can join AL-led interim Government : Awami League senior lawmaker Suranjit Sengupta,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

The present government will turn into an “interim government” before three months of the next election and BNP-led opposition in parliament can join that government if it wishes, Awami League senior lawmaker Suranjit Sengupta said on Tuesday.

“According to the constitution, we have no option to restore caretaker government system. According to the constitution, the present prime minister will be head of the interim government during next polls which will perform only routine works,” Suranjit said in parliament.

Participating discussion on the proposed budget, he also said, “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina might consider if BNP wish to join that interim government.”

“They [BNP-led opposition] will be included proportionately [according to their number of seats in parliament],” he added.

The latest amendment to the constitution last year introduced the provision for parliamentary polls within 90 days preceding dissolution of the House. This means members of the present parliament will remain in office when the next parliamentary election will be held with the AL-led alliance still in power.

Suranjit on Tuesday also rejected Workers Party chief Rashed Khan Menon’s Monday’s speech in parliament that level playing field would not be ensured if next election is held under interim government.

Chiefs of Workers Party and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, two components of the Awami League-led ruling alliance, on Monday proposed scrapping the constitutional provision that allows MPs to remain in office during parliamentary polls.

Terming the provision discriminatory, Workers Party chief Rashed Khan Menon said credibility of the election will be questioned if it continues to be in force.

“We have been talking about a level playing field for holding fair polls. If this provision remains, how a level playing field will be ensured for sitting MPs and those aspiring to be MPs,” Menon asked while speaking on the proposed budget.

But Suranjit said, everywhere in the world including USA and India election held under interim government with heads of the governments in their respective position.

“Before polls, Obama [US president] does not resign from his post, this is also happens in India. But no question was raised there about the credibility of polls,” he said.