Transparency International, Bangladesh, on Friday proposed a formula for election-time government with an observation that general elections under a partisan government would not be acceptable and credible.
According the proposal, the Jatiya Sangsad speaker
would form a parliamentary consensus committee taking equal representatives from political alliances or parties represented in parliament, or taking representatives from each of the parties in proportion to their representation in parliament.
The parliamentary consensus committee will form an 11-strong election-time government selecting people from both inside and outside parliament or only by taking representatives from parliament or only from outside parliament.
The proposal was put forward at a press conference at the BRAC Centre Inn in the capital.
Proposing the formula, TIB executive director Iftekharuzzaman said that they have all the doubts whether the conflicting political parties would agree to accept such an idea. He, however, hoped that good sense will prevail upon the parties.
He asked all stakeholders to put pressure on the political parties, particularly the governing parties, to reach a consensus to ensure holding a free, fair and credible polls to end the political standoff.
In reply to a question, Iftekharuzzaman said that the 15th amendment to the constitution has been an obstacle towards ensuring a level-playing field during the polls.
‘The sitting MPs may influence the administration if the elections are held before the dissolution of parliament,’ he added and proposed to hold the elections after dissolution of parliament.
‘The parliamentary consensus committee will select the head of the polls-time government apart from selecting other members of it. If it fails to reach a consensus to find a single person as the head of the polls-time government, it will select a three-member panel for the head of the polls-time government,’ he said citing the TIB proposal.
He said, ‘The JS speaker will send the three-member panel to the president and the president will pick anyone from the three as the head of the election-time government to be constituted for 90 days.’
TIB’s trustee and adviser to a past caretaker government M Hafizuddin Khan said that it would be very difficult to reach a consensus by the parties at a time when all the opposition leaders have landed in jail.
‘Given the attitude of the political parties, a fair election is not possible under a partisan government,’ Hafizuddin Khan said.
Citing example of Pakistan, Hafizuddin Khan said, ‘Had there been a mindset and good will for reaching a consensus among the big parties, finding out a mechanism for holding a fair polls would not be a big deal at all.’
Though both of her colleagues—Hafizuddin Khan and Iftekharuzzaman—were of the opinion that elections under a partisan government would not be credible, the TIB chairperson, Sultana Kamal, said that it would be possible had there been a strong Election Commission.
Voicing concerns over the escalating political violence in the country, Sultana Kamal, who was also an adviser to a past caretaker government, said, ‘We, the people, cannot let this war-like situation continue for an indefinite period.’
The political parties must reach a consensus to find a common ground for ending the political stalemate.
After the 15th amendment to the Constitution, a general election of the members of parliament shall be held within 90 days preceding such dissolution by reason of expiration of the five-year term of parliament, suggesting that the sitting MPs will be allowed taking part in the JS polls.
Several political parties including ruling alliance’s Workers Party of Bangladesh during their talks with the Election Commission had said the 15th amendment has created an obstacle towards ensuring a level-playing field as the sitting MPs will contest the polls with all of his or her perks and privilege as an MP. (Source)
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