Dhaka (August 03): Terming the Prime Minister"s small cabinet offer a hoodwink, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday said her proposal will not help overcome the ongoing political crisis.
He, however, said if the government meets BNP"s demand for holding the next general election under a non-party administration, they will sit with the government to decide the format of the interim regime.
"We can hold dialogue to settle the format of a non-party in terim government. But the government has to take steps and it"ll have to amend the constitution," Fakhrul said while addressing an Iftar party hosted by National Democratic Party (NDP) at a city hotel. Senior leaders of the BNP-led 18-party alliance attended the party.
In the face of the BNP"s long-drawn demand for restoration of the caretaker government system, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in a recent interview with BBC, suggested forming a small cabinet with representation from the BNP before the next general election. She also asked BNP to come up with their proposal in parliament in this regard.
Addressing the programme, Fakhrul said the premier gave the proposal only to divert people"s attention from her government"s corruption and failure to deliver.
Referring to BNP standing committees" Thursday night"s meeting, the BNP leader said his party"s policymakers turned down outright the prime minister"s proposal to join the interim cabinet.
Reiterating his party"s firm stance on the caretaker government issue, Fakhrul said the next election must be held under a non-party caretaker government and the government has to restore the CG system amending the constitution. Referring to the cabinet decision to amend the Gram-een Bank Ordinance 1983, the BNP leader said the government in a planed way is trying to destroy the institution that brought honour and glory for the country.
The cabinet on Thursday approved a proposal for amending the Grameen Bank Ordinance 1983, and President Zillur Rahman is expected to promulgate an ordinance soon to this effect as parliament is not in session. Fakhrul urged the government to shelve its plan to save the institution of the poor from its imminent destruction.
In another discussion, the BNP acting secretary general said his party will not endorse any format except the non-party caretaker administration.
Branding the government as corrupt and incompetent, he said the people of the country now want to get rid of it.
The BNP spokesman alleged that the government has looted several crores of taka from the state-owned banks and created a liquidity crisis with unbridled borrowings.
He also asked all to get united to oust this government through an irresistible movement after Eid. Sonali Bank Employee"s Association organised the discussion followed by an Iftar party at a city hotel.