Ball is now in govt's court: Fakhrul

Dhaka, June 18 (bdnews24.com) ? Now it is the government turn to come up with the caretaker issue, says BNP, a day after the ruling party's offer to sit with the main opposition to discuss it.

"Our leader has made our party stance clear. Now the ball is in their [govt] court," BNP acting secretary-general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told reporters at its Naya Paltan headquarters on Saturday.

The opposition chief on Thursday said her party would have no discussion with the government on the caretaker government issue.

"The provision for holding national elections under caretaker government must be retained. No new formula is required. There's no scope for discussion either," Khaleda Zia said.

Later, on Friday, Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam said his party did not want to take decisions unilaterally. "We'll wait until the end."

"We're hopeful that [BNP chairperson] Khaleda Zia will discuss the issue. We're ready to discuss it anywhere in or outside parliament," he said.

Fakhrul also declared a three-day agitation programme from the press briefing against the government move.
BNP did not join the formal talks with the special parliamentary committee on constitution amendment, which on June 8 submitted its report with 51 suggestions.

Fakhrul said, "I would like to say with due respect that Ashraf Saheb wants to hold elections under a political government. That's why they don't want talks [on the issue]."

"The government [forcibly] took the verdicts of the fifth and 13th amendments in their favour, disregarding public opinion," Fakhrul alleged in his written statement.

He also said the Fifth Amendment that restored the multiparty rule and people's belief and philosophy was annulled with an ill-motive.

"?now the government is ignoring everything and putting the country's sovereignty and multiparty system at stake," he added.

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