BANGLADESH NEWS
Senior BNP leader ASM Hannan Shah on Friday asked the ruling coalition to soften its stance and sit with the opposition to decide about a non-party government to oversee the general elections.
"At the end of the term, the election must be held after dissolving Parliament. We want national elections in a nice and peaceful environment," he said at a discussion in the National Press Club in the city.
"I would like to ask the government to please stop being so stubborn and sit in dialogue to decide the name of the non-party government as the people expect."
Criticising the 15th Amendment, Hannan Shah said there was no statute in any country in the world for holding the national elections without dissolving Parliament.
"But our government has introduced a bizarre provision in the constitution. This is unacceptable to the people and constitution experts," he said.
The BNP Standing Committee member claimed the ruling coalition partners were also disappointed with the provision. "We won't allow any elections if Parliament is not dissolved."
The ruling Awami League-led government scrapped the constitutional provision of caretaker government system last year through the 15th Amendment to the Constitution. Main opposition BNP has been protesting the decision since.
According to the amended constitution, the next elections would be held before the term of the current Parliament ends.
"The government has already softened its stance (over staging polls under a non-partisan government) as some of the parties in the ruling coalition have started opposing staging the elections under a partisan government," he said.
Hannan also talked about government's plans to form an interim government with the opposition leaders to oversee the next elections.
"Our stance is clear on the issue. Apart from holding the elections by dissolving Parliament, it must be ensured that the interim government is a non-partisan one. The BNP has no qualms about whichever name you may give (that government)," he added.
He alleged that the government embezzled a huge amount of money in the much-talked-about Padma bridge project.
"I can show how the money was misappropriated if a neutral investigation committee is formed … it's my challenge to you …," he said.
He castigated the government over 'corruption' and 'failure". "The government has indulged in corruption. Former Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain resigned from the Prime Minister's cabinet 10 months after charges of corruption in the Padma bridge project surfaced."
"Syed Abul Hossain did so only to hide the money embezzled," he claimed.
"At the end of the term, the election must be held after dissolving Parliament. We want national elections in a nice and peaceful environment," he said at a discussion in the National Press Club in the city.
"I would like to ask the government to please stop being so stubborn and sit in dialogue to decide the name of the non-party government as the people expect."
Criticising the 15th Amendment, Hannan Shah said there was no statute in any country in the world for holding the national elections without dissolving Parliament.
"But our government has introduced a bizarre provision in the constitution. This is unacceptable to the people and constitution experts," he said.
The BNP Standing Committee member claimed the ruling coalition partners were also disappointed with the provision. "We won't allow any elections if Parliament is not dissolved."
The ruling Awami League-led government scrapped the constitutional provision of caretaker government system last year through the 15th Amendment to the Constitution. Main opposition BNP has been protesting the decision since.
According to the amended constitution, the next elections would be held before the term of the current Parliament ends.
"The government has already softened its stance (over staging polls under a non-partisan government) as some of the parties in the ruling coalition have started opposing staging the elections under a partisan government," he said.
Hannan also talked about government's plans to form an interim government with the opposition leaders to oversee the next elections.
"Our stance is clear on the issue. Apart from holding the elections by dissolving Parliament, it must be ensured that the interim government is a non-partisan one. The BNP has no qualms about whichever name you may give (that government)," he added.
He alleged that the government embezzled a huge amount of money in the much-talked-about Padma bridge project.
"I can show how the money was misappropriated if a neutral investigation committee is formed … it's my challenge to you …," he said.
He castigated the government over 'corruption' and 'failure". "The government has indulged in corruption. Former Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain resigned from the Prime Minister's cabinet 10 months after charges of corruption in the Padma bridge project surfaced."
"Syed Abul Hossain did so only to hide the money embezzled," he claimed.
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