Bikalpadhara for CG

Bikalpadhara Bangladesh (BDB) yesterday asked President Zillur Rahman to restore the caretaker government system prior to the formation of a new Election Commission.
In its talks with the president, Bangladesh National Awami Party (NAP-Mozaffar), however, stressed the need for enacting a law to form a new EC.
BDB and NAP yesterday had separate meetings at Bangabhaban in the capital with the president on the formation of a new EC.
Emerging from the meeting, AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, chief of BDB, told reporters, "The government must restore the caretaker government system in line with a court order as well as people's demand."
The party told the president that the tenure of the incumbent EC could be extended until the next caretaker government was formed by formulating necessary rules.
The Supreme Court in its ruling had said the next two general polls could be held under a caretaker government, said Badruddoza, who led a 14-member delegation. "We have demanded that the president take steps in this regard.
"We have also asked him to take measures to publish the SC verdict within 15 days."
At its meeting with the president, a nine-member NAP delegation led by its Secretary General Enamul Haq said the EC must have its own secretariat, manpower and budget to hold elections.
Asked about the caretaker government issue, NAP leaders told reporters that it was a parliament-related matter and that was why they had not discussed the issue with the president.
Enamul Haq said they would submit names to the president after rules were formulated for the formation of a new EC.
President Zillur Rahman on December 22, last year started holding dialogues with the political parties having their representatives in parliament and other political parties registered with the EC to seek their opinions on the formation of a new EC as the tenure of the incumbent EC is going to expire by mid-February.