No discussion based on Khaleda’s proposals: Inu

Information minister Hasanul Haq Inu said on Monday said that no discussion cloud be held on the basis of Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia’s proposal for the reconstitution of Election Commission based on consensus among registered political parties.
At a press conference at the Press Information Department, he rejected Khaleda’s proposals.
‘Khaleda put forward her proposals with a mala fide intention to create a constitutional vacuum,’ Inu said, adding, ‘her 13-point recommendation is impracticable and unconstitutional.’
The BNP chairperson’s proposal for deployment of defence forces with magistracy during elections was nothing but an ‘ill-motive to make the defence forces controversial,’ Inu said.
He said that questions had been raised about the role of the armed forces during elections after the parliamentary polls held in 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2008.
Khaleda Zia, also former prime minister, on Friday unveiled her party’s proposals for forming new Election Commission based on consensus among registered political parties through a five-member search committee of consensus.
She suggested strengthening the commission amending the Representation of the People Order 1972 and setting up a full-fledged secretariat of the commission with financial autonomy for holding free, fair and credible elections.
Inu said Khaleda’s proposals could not be the basis of any discussion and she was conspiring to ‘create an abnormal situation just to bring in an abnormal government’ beyond the constitutional mandate. 
Replying to a question, he said that the issue of election could be discussed with BNP along with others keeping aside Khaleda’s proposals. 
The ruling Awami League on Friday instantly rejected the proposals terming it ‘unrealistic and unconstitutional.’
The BNP chairperson suggested forming a five-member search committee with a retired chief justice, as its convener, and a retired judge of the Appellate Division, a retired secretary, an educationist or a widely respected eminent citizen and a widely respected senior woman, as its members.
Khaleda proposed five amendments to the 1972 order including restoration of the Defence Services of Bangladesh as a law enforcing agency.
Most of the left political parties and the Jatiya Party faction led by Hussein Muhammad Ershad have said that they want discussion among political parties before the reconstitution the commission as the tenure of the chief election commissioner would expire on February 22, 2017.
Asked whether the government would proceed with like-minded parties for the next polls scheduled for January 2019 ignoring the BNP’s proposals, Inu said that the elections would be held in time as per the constitution. 
The BNP will have to decide on its own whether it would participate in the national election, he said, adding that Khaleda was in an ‘embarrassing situation’ after boycotting the January 2014 polls. 
All opposition parties including BNP boycotted the 2014 polls pushing for the reinstatement of the non-party caretaker government for a free, fair and credible election.

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