AL, BNP reject idea of consensus govt before polls

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The Awami League and the BNP on Thursday dismissed the idea of the Bikalpadhara Bangladesh chief, AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, of a national consensus government before general elections.
‘There is no constitutional crisis…. The proposition for such a government before the parliament elections is confusing,’ the BNP chairperson, Khaleda Zia, now detained in jail, was quoted as saying by her lawyer.
Khaleda, arrested on September 3 in the GATCO container handling scam case, said the roadmap for the elections was there and the work on the preparation of the electoral roll with photographs had made a progress.
Khaleda, who was the immediate-past prime minister, said the next ruling and opposition parities would decide on future governance.
She supported the observations of Awami League leader Abdul Hamid, a former deputy leader of opposition in the parliament, who opposed the idea of the national consensus government.
Khaleda’s lawyer Masud Ahmed Talukdar briefed reporters at the special jail gate after meeting her. Lawyers Ahmed Azam Khan, Hossain Ali Khan Hassan and Sabina Yasmin Chowdhury Eena were also in the team.
The Awami League rejected the proposal for a national consensus government as
the party believed that the idea of such a government before general elections is a pre-mature idea.
‘Elections are a must to form a government and the lawmakers will decide what kind of government should be formed,’ the acting Awami League president, Zillur Rahman, told reporters after a presidium meeting at his house at Gulshan.
Badruddoza Chowdhury at an iftar party on Monday put forth a proposal for the formation of a national consensus government for 10 yeas.
‘His [Badruddoza’s] call sounds like putting the cart before the horse,’ Zillur, who chaired the meeting, said. ‘The issue might be considered after the elections.’
Zillur said if any party won majority, it might prefer to form the government on its own.
The presidium meeting also demanded that the government should release the party president, Sheikh Hasina, the general secretary, Abdul Jalil, and other party leaders before Eid-ul-Fitr. The meeting decided not to celebrate Eid this year as the party chief is in jail.
The meeting also decided to hold the party’s central working committee meeting on October 22 to discuss issues such as decision on joining the electoral reforms dialogue with the Election Commission.
Awami League presidium members Zohra Tajuddin, Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Tofail Ahmed, Matia Chowdhury and acting general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam attended the meeting.

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