The leader of the opposition in the parliament, Khaleda Zia, on Thursday said the 15th amendment had turned the constitution into an 'Awami League manifesto that stopped the path of power handover through democratic and peaceful means.'
Terming a 'black day' June 30, the day when the ninth parliament passed the 15th amendment to the constitution of the republic, Khaleda Zia said that the amendment had 'snatched away people's franchise.'
Khaleda, also the Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson, said this as he addressed a media briefing in her office at Gulshan soon after the national assembly had passed the 15th amendment, scrapping the caretaker government provision to pave the way for holding the next general elections under the tenure of the Awami League-led government.
'With the passage of the 15th amendment, the constitution no more reflects expectations of the people and it has become a manifesto of the ruling Awami League,' Khaleda said in her over 45-minute long speech.
Accusing the AL-led government of pushing the country towards an 'indispensable confrontation,' Khaleda said, 'I once again vow today to launch a strong movement to protect the country and to realise people's franchise.'
She also put out a call for the people to join the 'movement to protect the country and safeguard its interest.'
'In the name of interim government provision, the Awami League will hold the next polls under its own
supervision to cling to power, snatching away the people's right to vote,' Khaleda, also the immediate-past prime minister, said.
'The Awami League has paved the way for holding farcical elections by repealing Article 58A and Chapter IIA of the constitution [through the 15th amendment],' Khaleda added.
She said, 'People are gravely concerned about the government's ill motive. All the possibilities for holding free, fair, neutral and participatory elections have been marred by the amendment as it blocked the path of power handover through democratic and peaceful means.'
Calling on the government to repeal the 15th amendment, she warned the government of dire consequences.
Khaleda also alleged that the passage of the 15th amendment has 'squeezed the path of people's right to form political parties and forced the country's ethnic minorities to be considered Bengalis.'
'Re-introduction of socialism will obstruct the country's economic growth,' she observed.
She also alleged that the government had distorted the history of Bangladesh's independence war of 1971' in the amendment.
Khaleda also accused the AL-led government of 'hurting religious sentiment of the Muslims by removing the phrase 'absolute trust and faith in the Almighty Allah' from the constitution.'
As for Awami League's argument that it has changed the constitution to uphold the court verdict, Khaleda said, 'Then what was the point in staging a drama in the name of dialogues on the constitution amendment and what was the point of inviting us to join the dialogue?'
Khaleda said that the Appellate Division had not 'declared the caretaker provision illegal for the next two elections.'
'The Awami League has fulfilled its desire to hold elections under its own supervision by making the judiciary a scapegoat,' she said.
She, however, criticized the immediate-past chief justice ABM Khairul Haque terming him a 'contemptible man.'
Referring to a statement of Khairul Haque, she said, 'The judiciary has no authority to change the constitution.'
As for prime minister's argument that the caretaker government provision was scrapped to stop any possibility of usurpation of power by the people like Moinuddin and Fakhruddin, Khaleda said, 'That [the immediate-past military-backed emergency government] was not a caretaker government. It was an illegal and unconstitutional government.'
BNP standing committee members, vice-chairmen and other senior leaders attended the briefing.
Khaleda did not answer any questions of newsmen who attended.
Source : New Age
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