Proposal sent to EC for ban on party-affiliated student bodies
Says Mainul
Staff Correspondent
The caretaker government has sent a set of proposals to the Election Commission (EC) for banning party-affiliated student organisations and trade unions, Law Adviser Mainul Hosein said yesterday. "I have told the chief election commissioner (CEC) that there should be a law so that no political party can use the teachers and students to its advantage," he said talking to journalists at his secretariat office. Asked if a draft has been made, he answered in the negative. He said the government believes there should not be party-affiliated student and labour bodies in public or private institutions. "We are not talking about a complete ban on student politics, but we must keep the students out of party politics," Mainul said adding that the political organisations should not have wings in schools, colleges and universities. The students and teachers would do politics but not being associated with any political party. The students would join politics only on completion of education, he said. The EC has been requested to cancel registration of those parties that would have student bodies and trade unions, Mainul told the journalists. The government plans to have laws prohibiting operation of trade unions as they tend to spoil the working environment, he observed. The law adviser, however, did not elaborate on the other issues included in the proposals. Referring to reform of the political parties, he maintained that the demand came from within the parties. Some wanted reforms with their present party chiefs in place while others wanted the changes to be made in their absence, he said. Asked for the names of those leaders, he said, "We don't need to mention the names, everybody knows them. It's a great success of the present government that the calls came from within the parties." About the possible mode of reforms, he said if the Representation of the Public Order (RPO) does not cover the changes, the job could be done through amending the now defunct laws regarding the political parties or even a new law could be formulated if people want. Everything depends on public opinion and support, he added. Queried if the number of advisers would increase soon, he said, "You'd know if any such decision is taken."
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