BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir poll-time Government based on 13th amendment,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday said the government has to take initiative to arrange the next general election under a neutral administration based on the thirteenth amendment to the constitution.

Thirteenth amendment had provided caretaker government system but the Awami League-led government scrapped it from the constitution through fifteenth amendment last year.

According to the existing provision, the next parliamentary election will be held under the present government. But BNP said it will not participate in the election if it is not held under a neutral administration.

On Saturday, party standing committee member Moudud had said that his party is preparing a draft outline of a non-party caretaker government which would be made public after Eid.

But, Mirza Alamgir on Monday described it as Moudud’s ‘personal’ statement and said they have specific proposal on caretaker government and they did not finalise the decision on preparing proposal for a non-party caretaker government but discussion is going on within the party.

He, however, said discussions on selecting chief adviser to the caretaker government based on thirteenth amendment are going on. “Hope we will be able to finalise our stance soon,” he added.

“Thirteenth amendment is our stance. Ball is now on government’s court. We can sit only to take decision on chief adviser of the caretaker government,” he said at a press briefing at the party’s central office at Nayapaltan after a joint meeting of party leaders.

The BNP leader said the government brought changes in the constitution so they have to take steps to resolve the crisis.

Asked about prime minister’s proposal for small cabinet, Alamgir said the premier did not make her proposal clear. “She did not place her proposal before parliament or to us,” he said.

TWO-DAYS PROGRAMME

The party has chalked out a two-day programme to celebrate its 34th founding anniversary. Late president Ziaur Rahman founded the party on September 1, 1978.

According to the plan, a discussion will be held on August 31 and party and national flags will be hoisted at party offices on September 1. Party leaders will place a floral wreath at Zia’s grave on that day.