BNP to unveil polls-time govt formula at ‘appropriate’ time

Stating that their party will unveil a 'formula' on a non-party polls-time government at an 'appropriate' time, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday said it is the responsibility of the current regime to incorporate this provision in the constitution.

"We'll definitely present that (non-party government's) formula when the time comes," he said.

Speaking at a press conference at BNP chairperson's Gulshan office, Fakhrul said the current Awami League government must form a non-party neutral government and then hand over power to it for holding a credible national election.

As a journalist pointed out that the constitution should be amended for this, the BNP leader said, "They (govt) have to take the initiative to amend that constitution. Because they created the crisis and it is their responsibility to overcome the problem. Since it is the demand of the people, they must take the initiative by accepting the demand."

He recalled that BNP introduced the caretaker government system through the 13th amendment to the constitution in 1996. "They (current govt) can do it in the same way."

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.

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.

Fakhrul said they will force the government to accept their demand for holding the next polls under a non-party administration through a simultaneous movement.

He also said they will present the outline of the 'simultaneous' movement very soon.