BNP’ to present caretaker govt formula in line with 13th amendment: Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday said their party will present a formula for a non-partisan polls-time caretaker government in the light of the repealed 13th amendment to the constitution, report UNB.

“You’ll know the outline of the caretaker government at the right time. You’ll also know when we’re going to initiate a simultaneous movement,” he told reporters after talks with the Bangladesh Labour Party and the National People’s Party (NPP), two components of the 20-party alliance.

The BNP leader said their caretaker government formula is being framed in accordance with article 58(B) (C) (D) that were included in the Constitution through the 13th amendment. “This outline will be prepared in line with that (13th amendment).”

As part of their second phase of talks to forge national unity for a united movement, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir sat with Labour Party at 10 am and with NPP at 11am at BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office.

In 1994, Awami League spearheaded a campaign for installing a non-partisan caretaker government to oversee free and fair polls and forced BNP to accept it in 1996 in the face of a fierce movement.

BNP got an absolute majority by winning the lopsided sixth parliamentary election and passed the 13th amendment to the constitution on March 27, 1996, introducing a polls-time non-party caretaker government system.

But the caretaker government system was abolished through the 15th amendment in 2011 as the Supreme Court struck down the 13th amendment to the constitution as illegal. The last two general elections were held under the Awami League-led government.

BNP has been on a movement for the restoration of the polls-time neutral government system since the 13th Amendment was revoked.

About the talks with the two political parties, Fakhrul said they discussed the demands with Labour Party and NPP the draft demands and issues that will be highlighted in the upcoming simultaneous movement.

“Of the main demands, we have agreed on some demands, including the resignation of the illegal fascist government, the formation of a non-partisan caretaker government, the dissolution of parliament, holding an acceptable election under fresh Election Commission, the (unconditional) release of Khaleda Zia and our arrested leaders and activists,” he said.

After the talks with other parties gradually, the BNP secretary general said they will finalise the demands and issues and move ahead with the simultaneous movement.

Labour Party chairman Mostafizur Rahman Iran led a 10-member delegation of his party while Fariduzzaman Farhad led a 10-member delegation of NPP.

Nazrul Islam Khan, a standing committee member of BNP and 20-party coordinator, was also present during the meetings with the two parties.

BNP began its second phase of dialogue with the first meeting with the Kalyan Party on Sunday last. The party also sat in talks with Jatiya Party (Kazi Zafar) and Oli Ahmed’s LDP to finalise the demands and issues of the anti-government movement.

Earlier, BNP had discussions with 23 parties during its first phase of talks that began on May 24 to work out the outline for launching a united movement to 'restore' democracy and people’s voting rights.