AL-led alliance may form govt next week

A new elected government of Awami League (AL)-led grand alliance is very likely to take over the steering wheel of the country next week, ending the two-year rule of Fakhruddin Ahmed-led caretaker government, sources in the government said.
The hand over of power will take place after the members-elect of the 9th parliament are sworn in following publication of the final results of Monday's general election in a government gazette.
Talking to reporters yesterday afternoon Election Commissioner M Sohul Hussain said the gazette will be published tomorrow.
After the new members of parliament are sworn in, the AL-led alliance is to convene a meeting of its parliamentary caucus where the members-elect will elect their leader of the house.
President Iajuddin Ahmed will then invite the winning alliance to a meeting where he will administer the oath of the new government's cabinet members, who are supposed to be designated by then.
"It should not take more than 7 to 10 days to handover power," LGRD Adviser to the Caretaker Government Anwarul Iqbal told reporters in Bangladesh Secretariat yesterday.
An official of the parliament secretariat said the new parliament must be in its first session within a month of the publication of the gazette of election results, according to the law.
Asked to comment on the fairness of the election and its results, Anwarul Iqbal said, "A fair and neutral election took place and the people made their choices. This is a good sign."
Welcoming the people's verdict yesterday, another adviser to the interim government Maj Gen (retd) MA Matin said the voters rejected corruptionists and voted for democracy.
"The people had never made mistakes in taking decisions in the past, and this time around too they did the same," said the home adviser.
Speaking to reporters in his secretariat office, he hoped that the winners will fulfill their election pledges.
Earlier on December 23, Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman said the caretaker government will have fresh parleys with the two top politicos of the country, Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia, for smooth handover of power.
About the upazila polls scheduled for January 22 during the interim period, Election Commissioner Sohul Hussain said the polls will be held on schedule.
Replying to a question, he said the candidates participating in the upcoming upzila elections will be allowed to start their campaigns on January 1 after publication of official results of the national election in the government gazette.