No such situation arose for army deployment

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Four advisers to the caretaker government yesterday said the current situation in the country does not warrant troops deployment and the advisory council was not consulted about the decision to call in the army.

Energy and Power Adviser Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury said the advisers consider that no such situation has arisen that the army should be deployed. Taken without discussion with the advisers, the decision has in fact become a “prestige issue” for them, he added.

Agriculture Adviser CM Shafi Sami said they are very worried about the way the home ministry took the decision.

Finance Adviser Dr Akbar Ali Khan said he was enquiring whether it was a routine decision of the home ministry or a greater political decision of the government.

“It does not necessarily need any consultation with the advisory council if it’s a routine decision. But in case of a major political decision, it is mandatory to confer with the advisers,” he added.

He maintained that it was not a decision of the council of advisers. The issue of army deployment did not come up for formal discussion at the advisory council meeting, he added.

Akbar Ali said, “I also need to find out for how many days and for what reason the army has been deployed.”

He said the press release issued by the home ministry on Saturday night did not say what actions the forces will perform during their stay and when they will return to barracks.

“I don’t know exactly why the army has been deployed. I haven’t seen any activities of the army yet,” added the finance adviser.

“We have many reasons to feel frustrated. I will stay with the government as far as I can contribute to the holding of a free and fair election. I won’t be continuing the job merely for the sake of it,” he said at a briefing at the Finance Ministry Auditorium.

He observed that implementation of the package proposals has got stuck but they will keep trying to resolve the issue.

Akbar described the decreeing of section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code around the Bangabhaban as a quasi-judicial matter.

He said the advisers are thinking over a new proposal for recasting the Election Commission (EC) with a view to breaking the stalemate.

“We are having talk with each other. I have already spoken to Shafi Sami and Sultana Kamal about the new proposal,” he added.

CM Shafi Sami said he will continue to be with the efforts to resolve the crisis.

“We are still hopeful that a resolution will come through a consensus among all the stakeholders,” he added.

Replying to another query, he said he will carry on with the job as long as he is able to work towards holding a free and fair election.

Sami said he does not want to say anything about resignation at this moment. He can decide whether to quit or not only after consulting with the colleagues, he added.

He said alternatives to an amicable resolution of the crisis could mean disastrous consequences for the nation.

Information Adviser Mahbubul Alam said the armed forces have been deployed in accordance with a routine decision of the home ministry.

He said only a few points of the package proposals remain to be implemented and that he will keep on trying to get over the problem through more discussions.

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