BNP hopeful as president welcomes proposals [ Tritiyo Matra News ]

BNP hopeful as president welcomes proposals

Local December 19, 2016

The president, Abdul Hamid, welcomed Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s proposals for the reconstitution of the Election Commission based on consensus as he kicked off series of talks with registered political parties sitting with BNP on Sunday.
‘The proposals will help in the reconstitution of the Election Commission,’ the president was quoted by his press secretary Joynal Abedin to have told the 11-member BNP delegation led by its chairperson Khaleda Zia during the talks at Bangabhaban.
BNP thanked the president for taking the initiative to reconstitute the commission ‘based on consensus’ saying that in the absence of any law on appointment to the commission, there was no alternative to the president’s initiative, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said at a briefing at the party central office after the talks.
During the talks procedures of forming the new commission and a search committee for the commission were discussed in details, he said.
Fakhrul said that BNP was optimistic that president’s initiative to overcome the present political crisis would be fruitful.
President’s press secretary Joynal Abedin told New Age that during the meeting, president Abdul Hamid said that election was the pillar of democracy and role of the Election Commission was the most important in conducting elections.
He said that the president told the BNP delegation that their proposals would keep a positive contribution to form the next commission.
‘Discussion and exchange of opinion find out multiple ways for solution,’ the president was quoted by Joynal to have said.
After the talks that lasted for about an hour, Fakhrul flanked by the party leaders, who attended the meeting, briefed journalists about the talks at BNP central office at Nayapaltan.
He said that the president thought that forming a neutral and courageous commission acceptable to all was essential for the nation and expressed hope to get support from all political parties.
Fakhrul said that Khaleda at the meeting presented the summary of her proposals on reconstitution of the commission. The tenure of the incumbent election commission would expire in February 2017.
He said that the issue of forming the commission based on consensus among all political parties was given importance in the discussion.
Fakhrul claimed that the president observed that in a democratic state there was no alternative to discussion and dialogue and he thought that the problems would be solved through discussions.
He said that there were three key portions in the proposals placed by Khaleda Zia on November 18 – forming a search committee neutral people acceptable to all, constituting the commission based on consensus and strengthening the commission amending the Representation of the People Order 1972.
Fkahrul said that BNP leaders at the meeting described elaborately the procedure of forming a five-member search committee for the commission headed by a retired chief justice beyond controversy and acceptable to all.
Khaleda specifically placed the proposal for search committee to the president, he added.
Asked whether Khaleda proposed any name for the search committee, Fakhrul replied she gave opinion specifically about the search committee.
He said that the president would examine the procedural matters for forming the commission.
The BNP secretary general said that they hoped that the president would determine procedural matters during talks with other political parties.
He said that BNP hoped that president would create opportunity for further discussions to accomplish the procedural matters.
Fakhrul expressed hope that the entire process would complete within next month saying the president also mentioned that he wanted to complete the process by the next month.
He said that the president mentioned that he took the initiative and began the talks sitting with BNP as the party had urged him first for the initiative.
‘We are hopeful that the president will play due role as a guardian of the state to overcome the crisis,’ he added.
Asked whether they discussed about election-time government, Fakhrul avoided a direct answer saying that they discussed each subjects.
Fakhrul said that the meeting was held in very cordial atmosphere and warm mood and added that the president welcomed Khaleda and other members of the delegation with his habitual sincerity.
BNP standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, Jamiruddin Sircar, Mahbubur Rahman, Rafiqul Islam Mia, Goeyshwar Chandan Roy, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan and Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury were present in the meeting. Two other standing committee members Tariqul Islam and Mirza Abbas could not attend due their illness, the party source said.
BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed told New Age that the output of the meeting was positive and the president seemed to be sincere and positive.
He said that they requested the president that since he opened the door for a dialogue, it should be kept on, so that ‘we can reach a consensus.’
Goyeshar told New Age that the starting was positive and the nation needed to wait to see the final outcome.
The president is scheduled for Tuesday to hold talks with the Jatiya Party faction left by HM Ershad.