The Jatiya Oikya Front has outlined a proposal of an interim government in line with the Constitution, according to people familiar with the issue.
The outline may be finalised on Monday (Nov 5) in a meeting with experts, according to pro-BNP and pro-Oikya Front Lawyers.
It proposes curtailing the prime minister’s power, appointment of new ministers in three ministries, neutral persons as technocrat ministers and reconstitution of the Election Commission.
After a meeting of the new alliance’s top brass late on Saturday, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told the media that they will send a letter to the prime minister on Sunday seeking a second round of talks.
According to sources, if the prime minister gives an audience then the outline will be presented during the talks otherwise the proposal will be unveiled in a press conference.
The Oikya Front will include legal experts Shahdeen Malik, Asif Nazrul and Borhan Uddin in the delegation after receiving the prime minister’s green light.
The new alliance will propose the formation of interim government by the prime minister.
A neutral person will be appointed as the head of the interim and the prime minister’s power will be curtailed.
The Oikya Front’s call to defer the polls is based on this proposal. It’s demand to dissolve the parliament before the national elections banks on the Constitution’s Section 123 (3), which reads,
“A general election of the members of Parliament shall be held-
(a) in the case of a dissolution by reason of the expiration of its term, within the period of ninety days preceding such dissolution ; and
(b) in the case of a dissolution otherwise than by reason of such expiration, within ninety days after such dissolution :
Provided that the persons elected at a general election under sub-clause (a) shall not assume office as members of Parliament except after the expiration of the term referred to therein.]”
Citing the Constitutional provision, senior lawyer and BNP Vice Chairman Khandaker Mahbub Hossain said, “The parliament expires on Jan 28 (2019). If the government goes for the second option then the parliament is automatically dissolved paving the way to accept Oikya Front’s demand.”
Elaborating on the formation of an interim government, he said that the after the parliament is dissolved, the president will form an interim government and request the prime minister to run it.
“The prime minister will form a Cabinet and in line with the Constitution can appoint 10 percent of its members as technocrats. That omits the problem of BNP not being in parliament, “said the BNP leader.
The prime minister then can curtail her powers and appoint a non-partisan individual as the head of the government, said Khandaker Mahbub.
“She will not exercise her power, which means she will be in office but the parliament will be dissolved. This can be an option in line with the Constitution,” he said before adding it was his ‘personal observation.’
Oikya Front leader and Gano Forum Executive President Subrata Chowdhury said they plan to discuss the Constitutional and legal aspects of their seven-point demands during the talks.
Asked whether the alliance will propose a name, he told Bangla Tribune, “That depends on how the talks go. Let them give a nod then we will see to it.”
According to several leaders of Oikya Front, the coalition’s coordination and steering committees will hold meetings over the next two days and one of them will be with legal experts.
“There will be meeting at BNP leader Moudud Ahmed’s Motijheel offices on the evening of Nov 4 (Sunday) and earlier in the day a letter will be sent to the PM seeking an audience with her for talks,” Oikya Front leader and former DUCSU VP Sultan Mohammad Mansur told Bangla Tribune.
A reliable source at the new alliance said that a second proposal will be formulated keeping in the mind the offices of the president, speaker and chief justice.