Bangladesh News

Following the president’s oath taking as the chief adviser to the caretaker government yesterday, the Awami League (AL)-led 14-party alliance said they would decided about participating in the next parliamentary elections after observing the president’s activities as chief of the caretaker government.
The 14-party leaders said President Iajuddin Ahmed took the post violated the constitution.

They, however, said it is now the responsibility of the president to make the reforms in the Election Commission (EC), and the electoral system.

“Rather than going with the constitutional process, the president himself assumed the charge of chief adviser to the caretaker government. He did not do the right thing. He should have at least followed the 58 (3) (4) sub-articles of the constitution,” AL President Sheikh Hasina told newsmen at a press briefing at her Shudha Sadan residence in the capital.

“We will watch his activities and his activities will help us decide whether we would accept him or not,” she added.

After the president’s oath taking ceremony, the AL and its 13 allies held an emergency meeting at Sudha Sadan.

Hasina said their earlier announced blockade programmes and movements for reform demand will continue.

Earlier, terming President Iajuddin Ahmed ‘partisan’, the AL-led 14-party alliance said the ‘politically appointed’ president could not be the chief adviser to a non-partisan caretaker government as per the constitution.

“You [the president] are nominated and appointed by a political party. A partisan president can never be the chief adviser to a non-partisan caretaker government and it disqualifies you,” 14-party coordinator Abdul Jalil told at a press conference at AL’s Dhanmondi office following a meeting with the president in the afternoon.

During the meeting with the president, the AL leaders gave the president a letter in which they termed his attempt to hold discussions with major political parties an ‘unconstitutional move’ as per the constitution’s 58 Ga (5) sub-article.

In the letter, they also termed president’s proposal to become the chief adviser to the caretaker government ‘unconstitutional’. President Iajuddin Ahmed on Saturday called upon AL general secretary and BNP secretary general and told them he himself wanted to be the chief adviser to the caretaker government.

Before meeting the president, AL held an emergency presidium meeting with party chief Sheikh Hasina in the chair and finalised AL’s four representatives — Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed and Abdul Jalil — to meet the president. Later, the leaders sat in AL’s Dhanmondi office before holding discussion with president.

Reiterating that the ongoing blockade programme would continue, Jalil, also AL general secretary, urged the president not to be in such a position that makes him a controversial person.

Saying five names of constitution experts — Dr Kamal Hossain, Barrister Zahir, Barrister Amir-ul-Islam, Barrister Shafiq and Barrister Rafiqul Haque — he urged the president to consult them and find a solution over the ongoing political crisis.

Referring to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Saturday’s remarks about AL and its allies, Jalil said she told a public rally that everybody would have to accept the president’s decision over the appointment of the chief adviser to the caretaker government.

“Following her speech you gave us a proposal. We believe there is a link between your proposal and Khaleda Zia’s speech,” Jalil said.

The AL leader said they also pointed out who would not be eligible for the post of chief adviser to the caretaker government as per the constitution.

“We have also told him [president] that we are not proposing any names. We have not come to do advocacy for anyone,” Jalil said urging the president to follow the constitution and end the ongoing political crisis.

AL’S STATEMENT TO THE PRESIDENT
In the letter to the president, AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil said, “You [the president] rather than taking measurers according to the constitution’s 58 Ga (2), (3) and (4) sub-articles, proposed yourself for the post according to the 58 Ga (6) sub-articles.”

“After discussions with AL and 14-party, you have been informed that your proposal is unconstitutional,” Jalil said in the letter. Referring to the president’s letter for holding discussions with the major political parties, Jalil in his letter said, “We observed in that letter that you called for discussions with the major political parties according to 58 Ga (5) sub-article in a bid to repeat the similar unconstitutional move.”

Saying that there should be a list of names of former chief justices and former justices of Appellate Division, Jalil said only one former chief justice has declined to be the chief adviser to the caretaker government. But it is your constitutional responsibility to ask the others, the letter read.

Jalil urged the president to follow the 2 Ka clause of the constitution and to call for former chief justices. He also urged him to form the caretaker government yesterday by appointing a justice of Appellate Division who is not holding any other constitutional post, if former chief justices are not available.

“Our party and the people expect you [president] will take measures according to the constitution,” the letter signed by Jalil stated.