Senior Awami League lawmaker Suranjit Sengupta Thursday said the president of the country could revive the immediate past parliament with the reference from the High Court if the BNP boycotted the next general elections.
While delivering his speech on the proposed national budget the minister-without-portfolio said the president, with the reference from the apex court, might ask the present cabinet headed by the prime minister to continue until the holding of the next general elections.
“You have warned us of polls boycott; you can boycott. Can’t others boycott? You will boycott if caretaker is not in place. What will happen if the Awami League announces it will boycott polls under the caretaker government?”
Suranjit said this a day after BNP senior leader MK Anwar urged the prime minister to make it clear that how the country would be ruled if no elections took place.
He said the constitution authorised the president to promulgate ordinance not to change the constitution.
“Remember the president’s tenure is five years. Again the post of the prime minister will be there; then the cabinet (after the expiry of the current parliament),” said Suranjit.
He said the constitution could not be changed after the expiry of the parliament even if the parties agreed on some issues. Sheikh Hasina and BNP’s de facto deputy leader of the opposition Moudud Ahmed were present.
“Do you want to create a constitutional vacuum? Emergency cannot go on till the doomsday. None can touch the constitution unconstitutionally,” he observed.
“Interim government has succeeded. This dead tree (caretaker government) cannot produce flower,” said the senior Awami League MP.
He said the Awami League would hand over power through fair polls.
“I do not want to say that path of negotiation is being closed. This will not be good for us; please you do come to the negotiating table,” said Suranjit.
Suranjit invited the opposition to sit across the table to reach a consensus to hold a fair election within the constitutional framework. “Let us discuss how you want to join, whether on the basis of proportional representation in parliament or on the basis of the popular votes.”
The article 123 of the constitution stipulated that the national elections would take place within the next 90 days before the expiry of the parliament. In case of dissolution of parliament for other reasons, the elections would take place within the next 90 days.
“So the next 90 days are not far away. Let us not waste our time,” he appealed to the opposition. After that the constitutional authorities will pass on to two persons: the president and the prime minister.
“The power transfer will take place according to the constitutional guidelines…We are uncompromising on constitutional continuity; no compromise will be there,” he said.
