BNP seeks 90-day caretaker govt only for national polls
NN Online:
BNP on Tuesday said it wants only the national election to be held under a non-party caretaker government and supports the 90-day tenure for such a non-party election-time government.
“Our party does not want local government elections to be held under a caretaker government,” BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed told reporters during the lunch break of Tuesday’s discussion of the second phase of talks with the National Consensus Commission at the Foreign Service Academy.
“BNP thinks that the tenure of the caretaker government should not exceed three months, although the Commission has proposed four months,” he said.
Regarding Article 70 of the Constitution, Salahuddin said BNP has proposed that MPs be allowed to vote beyond party lines except on matters related to vote of no confidence, finance bill, constitutional amendment and the issues concerning national security.
“If a wartime situation arises, MPs should be able to vote on it (national security issues). This needs to be included in Article 70,” he said.
The BNP leader also mentioned that BNP disagrees with the proposal that all parliamentary standing committees be headed by the opposition MPs.
“Some committees may be led by the opposition MPs, but making all committee heads from the opposition is not a practical proposal,” said the BNP leader.
Tuesday’s session of the second round of talks began at 11am with Commission Chairman Prof Ali Riaz in the chair. Nearly 30 parties, including BNP, Jamaat, and the National Citizen Party (NCP), joined Tuesday’s session.
On Monday, Chief Adviser and Commission Chairman Prof Muhammad Yunus opened the second phase of the dialogue.
The Consensus Commission started its first round of talks with political parties on March 20 to forge a national consensus on state reform initiatives undertaken by the interim government.
The Commission held talks with 33 parties and alliances including BNP, Jamaat and NCP before concluding the first round of dialogues on May 19.
Formed on February 15, 2025, under the leadership of Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, the Commission was tasked with shaping a unified national stance on critical reforms.
BNP Bats for 90-Day Caretaker Government Only for National Polls: Salahuddin
NN Online Desk
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Tuesday reiterated its stance that only national elections should be held under a non-partisan caretaker government with a maximum tenure of 90 days.
“Our party does not support holding local government elections under a caretaker government,” said BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed, speaking to reporters during the lunch break of the ongoing second phase of discussions with the National Consensus Commission at the Foreign Service Academy.
He emphasized that BNP favors a three-month term for the caretaker government, despite the Commission’s proposal to extend the period to four months.
Addressing the issue of Article 70 of the Constitution, Salahuddin stated that BNP has recommended allowing members of parliament to vote across party lines, except in cases involving votes of no confidence, finance bills, constitutional amendments, and matters of national security.
“If a wartime situation arises, MPs should be free to vote independently on national security matters. This flexibility should be incorporated into Article 70,” he said.
On parliamentary standing committees, Salahuddin noted BNP’s disagreement with the proposal that all such committees be headed by opposition lawmakers.
“While some committees can be led by opposition MPs, assigning all chairmanships to the opposition is not a practical solution,” he added.
Tuesday’s session, chaired by Commission Chairman Prof Ali Riaz, commenced at 11 a.m. Around 30 political parties—including BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and the National Citizen Party (NCP)—participated in the discussions.
The second phase of the national dialogue was formally opened on Monday by Chief Adviser and Commission Chairman Prof Muhammad Yunus.
The National Consensus Commission began its first round of talks on March 20, aiming to build national agreement on crucial state reform measures initiated by the interim government. That round concluded on May 19 after engaging with 33 political parties and alliances, including BNP, Jamaat, and NCP.
The Commission, formed on February 15, 2025, under the leadership of Prof Muhammad Yunus, is tasked with formulating a unified approach to critical national reforms.