The main opposition BNP acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday said his party won’t compromise on the issue of non-partisan poll-time interim government to oversee the next general election.
The party spokesperson is still hopeful about a dialogue to resolve the political standoff.
Fakhrul said they are ready to hold dialogue on the formation of poll-time interim government, but firstly the government has to accept the demand of non-partisan interim government.
“90% people of the country want non-partisan government to oversee the next elections. Our stance is clear. Next election should be held under a non-partisan government,” he said.
“We want to say to the government that if you agree on non-partisan government, dialogue could then be held on the formation of that government. Otherwise the demand will be realised through street movement,” he said.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday categorically said any unelected person would not be allowed to assume power in the country under any circumstances. Terming opposition BNP’s demand for restoration of caretaker government system “illogical”, she said the next general elections in the country would be held in ways similar to those in other countries of the world having parliamentary democracy.
Talking to the media at his Uttara residence, Fakhrul said they did not deviate from their movement for restoration of the caretaker government system.
The BNP leader said in the democratic process there is no alternative to dialogue to resolve the political crisis and the opposition demands dialogue.
Fakhrul held the government responsible for not holding the dialogue.
The government is creating confusion over dialogue, he said, adding that at one point it says it will send letter to the opposition for dialogue and on the other hand it says it will not hold any dialogue.
Fakhrul alleged that the Awami League has scrapped the caretaker government system just to stay in power whereas the same Awami League waged a movement for the demand of such poll-time government and enforced 130 days of hartal.
“But now assuming the office, AL said the system is not legal,” added the leader.
Asked about the BNP’s movement, Fakhrul said, “It is a strategy of politics to go one step forward and take two steps backward, but this does not mean that we have deviated from our demand for non-partisan government.”
Regarding the BNP’s participation in the city corporation polls, Fakhrul said, “There is no scope of taking part in the local government elections under a party banner. Those who are contesting elections are not participating under party banners.”
Regarding the home minister’s statement that the government is thinking of formulating law to stop violence during hartal, the spokesperson of the party said, “I do not know whether there is any law in any democratic country to ban hartal. It is clear from the home minister’s statement that Awami League wants to establish one-party parliamentary system.”