Bangladesh News

All major political parties–except BNP and its allies–participating in the talks with the caretaker government advisers have strongly recommended reconstitution of the Election Commission (EC) for holding a free and fair election.

On the second day of the dialogue, the Jatiya Party (JP) and Jatiya Oikya Front (JOF) yesterday demanded immediate removal of the chief election commissioner (CEC) by any means, but the BNP-led four-party alliance opposed the idea.

The JOF placed before the advisers a 20-point demand, including appointment of Justice Mahmudul Amin Chowdhury or Justice Hamidul Haque as CEC.

The council of advisers will sit today on the recommendations and demands of the major political parties received in the two days’ dialogue to decide the next course of action to settle the political crisis, Adviser Dr Akbar Ali Khan said yesterday.

The four advisers who opened the dialogue met President and Chief Adviser Iajuddin Ahmed yesterday and informed him of the progress of the talks.

“We will start a second round of discussion upon receiving guidelines from the president,” Akbar said.

In the two days of the dialogue, the Awami League-led 14-party alliance, Jatiya Party (JP) and Jatiya Oikya Front (JOF) all have placed a common recommendation for removing Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) MA Aziz through the Supreme Judicial Council if he does not resign willingly.

Earlier on Monday night, the 14-party alliance also said immediate reconstitution of the EC by removing the CEC and three election commissioners is a must for holding a free and fair election.

The JP and JOF delegations met the four advisers separately yesterday.

“The whole nation would have been happy had the chief election commissioner resigned willingly,” JP Presidium Member Kazi Zafar Ahmed said at a press conference at the state guesthouse Padma. “It would be respectful for him too,” he added.

“We recommended the advisers to explore all constitutional procedures to remove the CEC if he does not resign willingly,” said Zafar, who led the JP team in the talks.

He said the advisers informed them that they are considering a number of alternatives for reconstituting the EC. The advisers, however, did not tell them anything about the much-talked-about issue of appointing more election commissioners as one of those alternatives, he said.

Leaders of JOF, which comprises Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Jatiya Oikya Mancha, and Bangladesh Tarikat Federation, echoed the same view.

“We told the advisers that the CEC along with other election commissioners must be removed,” LDP Executive President Col (retd) Oli Ahmed, who led the JOF team, said at a press conference following the meeting.

“The caretaker government will have to ensure the CEC’s exit,” Oli said, adding, “The president and chief adviser has now unlimited power to exercise on behalf of the 14 crore people of Bangladesh.

“The environment for a free and fair election has not yet been ensured,” Oli said, alleging that the caretaker government is yet to take any satisfactory step to prove its neutrality for holding a free and fair election.

“Instead of taking any actions, the caretaker government is rather protecting the corrupt former ministers and lawmakers of BNP,” said Oli, who left the BNP and formed the new party last October.

Apart from removal of the CEC and other election commissioners, the demands of the JP and JOF include cancellation of the controversial updated voter list, appointment of 300 upazila election officers and all contractual appointments, recovery of illegal arms, and arrest of corrupt ministers, militants and criminals.

The JP also demanded forming an advisory committee for “effective” reshuffle in the administration, and transfer of all deputy commissioners, superintendents of police, and thana and upazila officers.

The JOF demanded an inquiry into the allegation of carrying 400 suitcases to Saudi Arabia by the entourage of the immediate past prime minister, transfer of the partisan government officials or making them officers-on-special-duty (OSD), and action against the home secretary for his “misconduct”.

The four-member committee of advisers formed by the caretaker government meets leaders of the four-party alliance yesterday at the state guesthouse Padma in the capital in a bid to resolve the present political stalemate. PHOTO: STAR