ROLLING OUT POLL-TIME GOVT FRAMEWORK BNP drags heels [ Tritiyo Matra News ]

ROLLING OUT POLL-TIME GOVT FRAMEWORK BNP drags heels

Local April 22, 2017

Bangladesh Nationalist Party is yet to place the framework of an election-time government it had proposed to put forth to the nation five months ago.
On November 18, 2016, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia during placing proposals for the reconstitution of the Election Commission had stated that they would spell out the framework of a neutral election- time government before the nation at an appropriate time.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday told New Age that they were working on the framework, which was at the final stage.
Asked about the possible time limit for placing the poll-time government formula, he expressed his inability to give such a time-frame.
However, a BNP leader said they were taking time evaluating the evolving political situation and hoped that the framework could be placed in March.
According to the party senior leaders, they considered it wise to place the framework at a time when they would be able to keep the issue alive and keep up pressure on the government to compel it for an election-time neutral government.
BNP leaders are also communicating with political parties outside the BNP-led alliance over its poll-time government formula and its implementation, the party insiders say.
In the recent months, the BNP secretary general and the party’s senior leaders on different occasions stated that their poll-time government formula would be placed soon.
The secretary general on Thursday said that no election without BNP as well as without a poll-time neutral government and neutral election commission would be held in the country.
BNP and all other opposition parties had boycotted January 5, 2014 election under the partisan government.
The movement for realising the demand for election-time neutral government could lose its steam if the framework was placed much earlier, the party insiders think.
Besides, the party is now not well-organised as its reorganisation process was yet to be completed, they say.
BNP central leaders would visit district units in April 22-May 8 to gear up the party’s grassroots to prepare them for carrying out future programmes.
The party’s assistant office secretary Taiful Islam Tipu confirmed the news of the organisational tours of the central leaders.
A standing committee member said that they were hopeful that next general election would be inclusive and observed that foreign development partners were in favour of participatory election in Bangladesh.
BNP has been persuading international community, particularly diplomats of western countries stationed in Dhaka, for a fair and participatory election here, the party sources said.
To this end they also persuaded many members of Inter-Parliamentary Union when they joined its 136th assembly held in Dhaka in the first week of April, the sources added.
Whatever framework they would formulate, the constitution has to be amended for implementing it, said a standing committee member.
Even the proposal of prime minister Sheikh Hasina, which she had made before January 2014 general election, to form poll-time government with parliament members of Awami League and BNP would also require constitutional amendment, he observed.
In reply to a question, Fakhrul said more than one option would remain in their poll-time government proposals.
The new Election Commission, headed by KM Nurul Huda, was announced in the first week of February.
BNP was not satisfied with the new Election Commission as it branded the new CEC as ‘pro-Awami League’.