Next general elections must under caretaker govt: BNP

Bangladesh desk:  Bangladesh Main opposition political party  BNP has announced a 10-point charter of demands including the resignation of the government and formation of a caretaker government to hold the next general elections in Bangladesh.

Party’s standing committee member Dr Khondker Mosharraf Hossain who was present at the BNP’s Dhaka divisional mass rally at Golapbagh in the capital, announced the demands on Saturday (December 10) afternoon.

The 10-point includes

1. The ruling Awami League government must have to resign dissolving the parliament

2. A neutral election-time caretaker government will have to be formed in light of Section 58 Kha, Ga and Ghha which were incorporated in 1996 constitution.

3. The election time neutral/government will form a independent and impartial Election Commission dissolving the existing one and ensure level-playing field by cancelling the EVM system. It will also have to arrange voting through ballot papers. Besides, it will have to cancel the use of party symbols in the local government elections.

4. Punishments of all opposition leaders and workers including Khaleda Zia, journalists and alems will have to be cancelled. Besides, all the false cases must have to be withdrawn, political prisoners will have to be freed from prisons as early as possible, government must refrain from obstructing any meetings, rallies and freedom of expressions, administration and the ruling party will not interfere in observing the democratic and peaceful programmes, and teh government must refrain from suing the opposition leaders and workers afresh to throttle the voices of opposition in an autocratic way.

5. Abolishing all the laws including the notorious Digital Security Act 2018 and Special Powers Act 1974 which violate the fundamental human rights of people.

6. Cancelling all the anti-people decisions for increasing the prices of electricity, energy, gas and water.

7. Bringing the prices of essentials within the purchasing power of common people and freeing the markets of essentials from the grip of syndicates.

8. Forming a Commission to identify corruption at all levels of the state including money laundering, banking and financial sectors, power and energy sectors, and capital markets over the last 15 years.

9. Rescuing all the victims of forced disappearances happened over the last 15 years and holding trials of each incident of extrajudicial killing as early as possible; protecting the homes of religious minorities, refraining from vandalizing and occupying their property.

10. Allowing the law enforcing agencies, administration and judiciary to work freely avoiding undue interference in their duties.