AL rejects BNP’s ‘neutral’ election-time govt demand

The ruling Awami League has swatted away the BNP’s demand for a 'neutral' government to oversee the next general election in its seven-point charter of demand.

“I want to make it clear that there is scope of changing or adding anything to the sacred Constitution of Bangladesh,” Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader said at a news conference in Dhaka on Sunday.

Sheikh Hasina will remain the prime minister during the next general election scheduled for December, according to the constitution.

The BNP stayed away from the last parliamentary elections as its demand for a non-partisan caretaker government was not met.

Now it is demanding resignation of the Awami League government and a non-partisan government to oversee the next general election.

The constitution has to be changed to meet the demand, but Quader has ruled out the possibility of bringing any amendments to the constitution.   

The BNP included the demands in its seven points announced at a rally in the capital’s Suhrwardy Udyan earlier in the day.

Quader described the BNP’s rally as “much ado for nothing by a scattered party”.

“Even our street rallies on our way to Cox’s Bazar drew more people than the BNP’s central rally did,” he said.

The Awami League leader claimed the “frustrating presence of people” at the BNP’s rally “proved a drop in the party’s support”.

Reacting to the BNP’s threat to toughen its movement, Quader said the ruling party would respond to any peaceful movement “politically”.

“But the authorities will do whatever necessary to prevent violence if they (BNP) repeat the horror, bomb attacks of 2014,” he said.

“And we (Awami League) will not remain a silent spectator either. We will prevent violence with the people,” he added.

Like the BNP, the Awami League has also announced fresh programmes ahead of the election.

It will launch public relations programmes at grassroots level on Monday, according to Quader.