Speculations followed after Khaleda Zia’s recent announcement of introducing a new trend in the government, if voted to power in the next general elections. Many senior BNP leaders appeared to be in the dark about the issue and said it had not been discussed in the party’s forums.
Speaking to the Dhaka Tribune, several senior BNP leaders Tuesday said the idea that was floated by the party chief had not come up at any stage of the party’s forums. They said the party chief’s intended meaning was to go “tough on corruption” and “guarantee good governance”—two important elements which people expect from governments.
However, some BNP leaders have told the media that the new trend would be the introduction of a bicameral parliament, which many BNP policy makers said was their personal view. In a bicameral parliament the parliament has two houses: an upper house, where members are usually nominated and not elected; and a lower house where members come through elections.
July 18 said her party would set a new trend in the government. “We will not compromise with corruption and misdeeds. We will set a new form of government through free and fair elections,” she said at a programme.
The standing committee, the highest policy making body of the party, last sat on June 8 and nothing specific was discussed about anything related to a new trend in the government at that meeting, several members said. Some leaders said they, too, had interest in knowing what the exact new pattern of the government might be.
Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain, a standing committee member, told the Dhaka Tribune Tuesday: “Nothing was discussed in the party forum about any new form of government. I think madam (Khaleda Zia) used the term to mean corruption and violence free politics — politics free from stigma.”
When asked about the different media reports on the issue, Mosharraf said, “All those news are baseless. Some media reports said we will form a bicameral parliament. The fact is that we have never discussed anything like that. In fact we have never thought of it.”
Mosharraf also said, “Our stance is very clear. We are against of all sorts of corruption and militancy. We will show zero tolerance to corruption.”
Another standing committee member, seeking anonymity, said, “We do not know who are disseminating such news. Such type of news is simply speculative and such unrealistic conjectures may even backfire for the party.
“In the name of bicameral parliament system, should one accommodate the non-political entities into party politics? Is it a new trend? The whole concept of rewarding supporters of a party who are unwilling to shoulder the responsibility and risks relating to politics, may further promote the opportunist group in the party and may even be counterproductive to the concept of good governance. It may turn out to be worse than the prevailing system,” said the BNP policymaker, who was a former minister and MP from a constituency near Dhaka.
He also said the other worry here was that using the upper house, political parties may fall into the trap of selling the seats to rich contenders who may be unacceptable to the people to be elected as public representatives. “Would it be an honest practice?” he asked.
MK Anwar, another standing committee member, said, “So far as I remember, the party did not discuss anything about new form of government in the party forum. Also, we do not support the bicameral parliament system.”
Anwar, also a former minister, said, “I think madam (Khaleda) wanted to mean establishing good governance in the country.
New form of government means independence of judiciary, nepotism and partisan free administration, corruption free state and the welfare for the people of the country.”
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday remarked that Khaleda’s new government would in fact go to reach a new height in corruption, terrorism and militancy.
Some of the senior BNP leaders said they would talk more about their stance on anti-militancy and anti-corruption, bringing these two issues to the front through their speeches to counter the prime minister’s allegations.
A vice chairman of the party said as the party has a bad image on corruption and militancy, it would bring these two issues to the front to regain the lost image and to get international support in favour of their demand.
“We are bringing these two issues to the front to send a signal to the international community about our stance,” he said, seeking anonymity.
