Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday ridiculed opposition BNP chief’s proposal on forming a non-partisan government to oversee the next general elections, saying that it would push the country backwards.
“A few days ago, I placed a proposal to form an all-party polls-time government with elected representatives [from Awami League and opposition] through dialogue...But she [Khaleda Zia] did not like it, she does not want elected representatives,” the premier said while addressing a rally at Gor-e-Shaheed Boro Maidan in the northern district town.
“Without accepting my proposal she went back to an old formula,” Hasina said, reminding the opposition leader that it was 2013 and her government “is taking the country forward through various development work.”
She again asserted that the upcoming national elections would take place in line with the constitution.
The prime minister on Friday said the elections would be held within 90 days after October 25, and asked the BNP chief to give names of her party MPs for the interim government.
On Monday, Khaleda instead proposed the formation of a non-party government headed by a respected person who would be chosen upon consensus between the ruling and opposition parties. She suggested that the Awami League and the BNP each would nominate five persons from among the '20' former advisers of 1996 and 2001 caretaker governments.
At on Tuesday’s rally Hasina, who is also the president of ruling Awami League, alleged the BNP chairperson had sent cadres of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, the BNP’s student front, to kill 1996 caretaker government chief adviser Justice Habibur Rahman, after its defeat in that election.
“Now she wants to incorporate those in the polls-time government who she wanted to kill,” Hasina said.
The prime minister said she sought votes for her party in the next election for the sake of continuation of development activities in the country and to get rid of terrorism, militancy, corruption and lootings, which she claimed would be patronised by the BNP if voted to power.
The rally was organised by Dinajpur district unit Awami League and chaired by the unit President and State Minister for Land Mustafizur Rahman Fizar. It was the last such event before the ruling Awami League-led Grand Alliance government starts functioning as the interim government from October 27.
Senior party leaders including General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, and presidium members Amir Hossain Amu and Tofail Ahmed, accompanied Hasina in Dinajpur and spoke at the rally before several thousand party leaders and supporters.
The prime minister claimed that her government had completed more tasks than the party had pledged ahead of the 2008 elections. She also claimed people were “living in peace.”
Hasina alleged that Khaleda had been patronising cadres of Chhatra Dal and Islami Chhatra Shibir, student body of the BNP ally Jamaat-e-Islami, to hamper congenial atmosphere at educational institutions across the country.
She castigated the BNP chief for celebrating her birthday on August 15, the national mourning day observed to commemorate the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of her family members in 1975.
For at least 20 minutes, most of the loudspeakers on the ground went off, creating confusion among the people outside the venue as they could not hear the prime minister.
In his speech, Amu alleged that Khaleda had been misleading the countrymen in the name of caretaker government “which she does not believe in.”
Tofail Ahmed said the opposition leader’s proposal was not realistic and had no constitutional base.
He urged the BNP chairperson to accept the premier’s proposal to hold the next election in a free and fair manner.
AL Joint General Secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Organising Secretary Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, Disaster Management and Relief Minister Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali, lawmaker Iqbalur Rahim and party leader Mahmud Hasan Ripon also spoke at the rally.
The premier inaugurated a total of 37 development projects in the district including 500-bed Dinajpur Medical College and Hospital, Dr MA Wazed Miah Bhaban of Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, rubber dam project on Atrai River, and laid the foundation stones of eight projects including the Dinajpur Education Board office.
