Commenting that a constitutional crisis will arise if the post of President becomes vacant, BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said that it will delay the Jatiya Sangsad elections. Therefore, BNP does not want the removal of the President at this time.
He told reporters at the BNP Chairperson's political office in Gulshan in the capital on Wednesday (October 23) afternoon.
Salahuddin Ahmed said that a vacancy in the post of President will create a state and constitutional crisis which will hinder the path to democracy in the country. Therefore, everyone must be vigilant so that the allies of fascism cannot conspire.
Dhaka: Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has filed a review petition against the verdict to annul the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which abolished the former caretaker government system.
Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar filed the review petition with the Appellate Division on Wednesday (October 23).
The party's lawyer Mohammad Shishir Munir confirmed this.
In 2011, the Jatiyo Sangsad passed the 15th Amendment, which made several changes to the Constitution, including abolishing the caretaker government.
On May 10 of that year, the Appellate Division, based on a majority opinion, said in a short order that if the JS wanted, two more elections (the 10th and 11th) could be held under the caretaker government.
The short verdict also said that the Appellate Division gave its opinion for amending the Constitution as the former Chief Justice and judges of the Appellate Division cannot be appointed as heads of a non-partisan caretaker government.
When the full judgment was published on September 16, 2012, 16 months after that short order, ABM Khairul Haque retired from the post of Chief Justice. The full judgment he published did not address the issue of the caretaker government system for the next two terms.
In fact, the full judgment also included the issue of the parliament remaining in power even after the government's term ended. This huge discrepancy between the short judgment and the full judgment sparked a heated debate.
Justice Md. Mozammel Hossain, Justice SK Sinha and Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain agreed with Justice ABM Khairul Haque in the full judgment.
Justice Md. Abdul Wahhab Miah dissented from the judgment and expressed his opinion in favor of maintaining the caretaker government system. Justice Nazmun Ara Sultana agreed with him.
However, Justice Md. Iman Ali left the matter to the JS without giving an opinion for or against the caretaker government.
Dhaka: BNP National Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan said that BNP has discussed with the chief advisor that no new political and constitutional crisis should be created in the country.
He informed the media after an emergency meeting at the chief adviser's residence in Jamuna on Wednesday (October 23) morning.
Nazrul Islam Khan said, we have discussed establishing a government through elections. We have called on the government to be more proactive in controlling the rise in commodity prices in the country. We see that the allies of fascism are trying to carry out political and constitutional conspiracies in various ways and strategies. We think that our national unity must be further strengthened to protect the change that we have achieved by fighting for a long time and at the cost of blood and to re-establish democracy. We must be vigilant so that no one can create a political or constitutional crisis in the country. In this case, if anyone tries to create a crisis, we will all together prevent it, regardless of party affiliation.
He also said that discussions have been held with the chief adviser on resolving the ongoing crisis of the people and speeding up the reform process.
At this time, BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan, along with Standing Committee members Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and Salauddin Ahmed were also present.
BNP Standing Committee Member Nazrul Islam Khan said, raising a new topic about resignation is suspicious. It is a matter of concern why this is happening. It is the government’s responsibility to look into this matter and take action accordingly.
He said these things at a discussion meeting organized on the occasion of the 4th founding anniversary of Bangladesh Labor Party at the Tafazzal Hossain Manik Mia Hall of the National Press Club on Tuesday (October 22).
Nazrul Islam Khan said, we saw on TV that the President, taking the chiefs of the three services, said that Sheikh Hasina has resigned and he (president) has accepted that resignation letter. When the president himself, taking the chiefs of the three services, said in front of the nation that the Prime Minister has resigned and he has accepted that resignation letter, then what else is there to talk about this? And there is no more talk. Then I saw the Prime Minister’s son say, ‘Mother did not resign’. Again, we heard in a telephone conversation of Sheikh Hasina where she (Sheikh Hasina) herself said, ‘I did not resign in the way I was supposed to resign.’ That is, she resigned. But she did not do it in the way she was supposed to do it; so? Then there is no question of not resigning. The resignation has been made. And what does it matter if the one who runs away resigns or not. She is a fugitive.
He said, I think the unstable situation of the country's commodity prices and the increasing growth that is taking place has become the biggest problem. It does not matter whether the government in power is permanent or temporary. Their responsibility is to ensure the comfort of the people. Therefore, we will request the government to take effective measures very quickly so that people's lives are comfortable. The prices of goods should be stable.
Commenting on the Awami League trying to create problems, this senior BNP leader said, I know that this government does not have as much power as it should have. The administration and the police, especially, are not able to exercise their full power. And it is wrong to say that because the Awami League is not in power, their people are not in this country, they are not in business and commerce, they do not have the ability to create problems. They are trying to create problems in various ways. But the responsibility of suppressing injustice ultimately lies with the government. We can cooperate but we cannot suppress injustice on behalf of the government.
He further said this country is ours. We liberated this country by fighting the Liberation War. But the country has been occupied. Selfishness, greed for power have occupied this country. Our colleagues and our children have liberated this country. But the conspiracies have not stopped. Various conspiracies are going on. We have to be careful to confront these conspiracies. The government also has to cooperate. Because we know that this government is not very strong. There are attempts to create chaos in various areas of society. We have to take care of them.
Bangladesh Labor Party Chairman Mostafizur Rahman Iran presided over the event, and BNP Standing Committee Member Begum Selima Rahman, General Secretary of Gano Forum Advocate Subrata Chowdhury, Chairman of Janipop Professor Dr. Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah, among others, also spoke.