Dhaka, Oct 29 (bdnews24.com) – President Iajuddin Ahmed took over as head of the caretaker government at a Bangabhaban ceremony Sunday evening despite strong objections by the Awami League and allies.
The 10-minute ceremony, arranged hastily and in secrecy, at the presidential palace began at 8pm with the usual formalities at the Darbar Hall. The Chief Justice administered his oath.
Only the government-controlled BTV was allowed to telecast the event live.
There was no reaction from the Awami League until 8.30pm to the takeover by Dr Ahmed. The party had no representaion at the swearing-in.
Dr Iajuddin Ahmed was still working on his list of advisers and expected to get them sworn-in Monday, his aides said.
Government sources said many battalions of armed forces have been kept on alert to deal with eventualities.
Present amomg others were outgoing prime minister Khaleda Zia, former chief advisers, former president H M Ershad, outgoing ministers, some business leaders and a number of MPs from the just-dissolved parliament .
Ambassadors and high commissioners arrived in one large motorcade minutes before the ceremony.
The presidential move came after Bangabhaban claims of failed parleys with top political leaders earlier Sunday.
The brainstorming talks, aimed to find the caretaker head , at the Bangabhaban between the President and major political parties stuttered as the Awami League dismissed the President's proposal to head the caretaker government.
The main opposition called it 'unconstitutional'. The BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, however, backed the plan.
The fourth party to the talks, Jatiya Party, asked Dr Iajuddin Ahmed to "explore alternatives" in line with the constitution.
Awami League leader Abdul Jalil told journalists after the Bangabhaban meeting that Dr Ahmed, at 76, could not head a 'non-party' caretaker government since he was elected by a party and aged above 72.
The constitution bars a person over 72 years and with political ties to head the caretaker government.
The AL-led 14-party combine urged the President to invite the other retired chief justices in line with the constitutional arrangement and install the caretaker government by Sunday.
Jalil alleged that President had made the proposal being influenced by Khaleda Zia, who at a public meeting Saturday said the opposition must accept the proposal of the President.
The 14-party requested the President not to make himself controversial and act in accordance with the constitution, Jalil said.
He said the on-going blockade programme would continue until a non-partisan person took over as caretaker government chief.
Abdul Jalil, Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed and Abdur Razzaq went to the Bangabhaban and handed to the President a letter that asked him to uphold the constitution. The President listened to them, Jalil said.
In the letter, the opposition combine said the President had invited the major political parties to install a non-party caretaker government through consultation according to Article 58 (c) (5) of the constitution. But the move was 'unconstitutional' as 'the Article will only be applicable if no retired chief justice of the Supreme Court were available'.
But, Jalil said, only one retired chief justice of the Supreme Court had expressed his inability to head the non-party caretaker government.
"It is your constitutional responsibility to invite other retired chief justices to take the office of the caretaker government."
Jalil said the 14-party had not named anyone to the President.
He said the 14-party leaders had made it clear to the President that he could not head the non-party caretaker government.
Jalil quoted the President as saying, "I have made the proposal after consulting the Attorney General."
"Attorney General's opinion is not acceptable to us since he is appointed by a party and he tries to express a party's opinion," Jalil quoted himself as replying to the President.
Jalil suggested that the President consult such constitution experts as Dr Kamal Hossain, Dr Zahir and Barrister Amir-ul-Islam to resolve the political impasse and uphold the constitution.
BNP
BNP's Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan said the President could head the caretaker administration if a person acceptable to all for the chief adviser was not found.
Bhuiyan said he told the President that four options have already been exhausted: Justice KM Hasan refused to accept the job, Justice Mahmudul Amin Chowdhury was not acceptable to the BNP, the AL did not accept Justice MA Aziz, and Justice Hamidul Huq "expressed his inability" to take the post.
After the Bangabhaban meeting that ended at 12.50pm, Bhuiyan told reporters that efforts were underway to find a person acceptable to all.
The outgoing minister said if no consensus candidate for the caretaker chief were available, the last option would be the president.
Bhuiyan was accompanied by Agriculture Minister MK Anwar, Law Minister Moudud Ahmed and Nazrul Islam Khan.
Jatiya Party
Jatiya Party (Ershad) Secretary General Ruhul Amin Hawlader, presidium member Kazi Zafar Ahmed and central leader Tajul Islam Chowdhury met the President.
Zafar told the waiting journalists that they urged the president to go by the constitution. "We requested him to maintain continuity of the constitution and explore alternatives."
Jamaat-e-Islami
Secretary General Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mujahid said his party has confidence in the President and would accept any decision he takes about the caretaker government.
Emerging from the Bangabhaban, Mujahid, outgoing technocrat minister of the four-party alliance government, said his party was happy that the President called them to 'discuss the fifth option' to solve the political crisis.
He said the constitution does not allow Justice Mahmudul Amin Chowdhury to become the chief advisor of the next caretaker administration.
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