As a part of ongoing dialogues with the country’s registered political parties, a delegation of the ruling Awami League will meet Chief Election Commissioner Nurul Huda today [Wednesday] apparently to convey their opinions about the next parliamentary elections.
Party sources said, the 22- member delegation will be led by party’s general secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader.
The list of delegation was prepared by Awami League’s advisory council member HT Imam, who also heads party’s election management committee, and Obaidul Quader. Later, it was sent to Prime Minister and party’s president Sheikh Hasina to get final approval. Of the 22 members, veteran leaders Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed, Motia Chowdhury, Sheikh Fazlul Karin Selim, Mohammad Nasim and Dr Moshiur Rahman, among others, have been named as participators.
Though AL presidium member Syed Ashraful Islam’s name is on the list, he will not take part in the dialogue for staying abroad due to his wife’s illness, sources said.
Meanwhile, the AL has decided to take direct opposite stance to BNP’s six proposals. Taking part in today’s dialogue, the AL will place 11-point proposals to the CEC. And all the proposals will be reverse to the BNP’s proposals, said an AL presidium member last night.
He said: “The AL will propose that, the incumbent ministers will stay in the polls-time supportive government headed by PM Sheikh Hasina. Besides, the parliament will not be dissolved during the election. However, there will be no session in the last three months.” The BNP earlier on Monday during a dialogue with CEC gave 20 proposals, including dissolution of parliament and a polls-time supportive government to oversee the next general elections. Apart from it, the BNP also demanded deployment of armed forces personnel provided with magistracy power during the polls.
Against this backdrop, the AL will propose CEC not to bring the armed forces under the definition of law enforcement agencies. Rather, the ruling party will propose to engage armed forces as a striking force during the polls.
Moreover, the AL is set to give specific proposal to CEC for amending the Representation of People’s Act [RPO] targeting the upcoming polls.
“The next elections will be held in line with the Constitution. It’s a settled issue. The election was held in 2014 as per Constitution. Then why BNP is demanding another system now? BNP will have to participate in the election considering that Sheikh Hasina will stay as head of the poll-time government,” Mohammad Nasim said.
Several AL leaders said, the ruling party will be compelled to amend the constitution, if it accepts BNP’s demand. But there is no possibility of amending constitution over the polls system in the near future.
Interestingly, the AL will hold dialogue with CEC at a time when Nurul Huda is facing tremendous criticism from the ruling party stalwarts for lauding BNP founder General Ziaur Rahman that “he had restored multi-party democracy” in the country. “BNP has many contributions as a big political party in the country”, the CEC also said during the dialogue with BNP delegation on October 15. Countering the statement, Mohammad Nasim yesterday asked the CEC to remain tight-lipped. “Why you are talking so much? We are politicians here to talk. You better stay tigh-lipped.”
On August 22, the election commission started series dialogues with 40 registered political parties with a view to taking their opinions over its preparation for the next parliamentary elections. The commission first of all sat in talks with Sangskritik Muktijote.
