Non-partisan govt must for next polls

A non-partisan government, no matter it is called "caretaker" or "interim" government, must conduct the next general election to make it fair and credible, speakers told a roundtable yesterday.
They stressed dialogue among the political parties to reach a consensus on which form the government should take.
Noted jurist Barrister Rafiqul Haque said it was the responsibility of all political parties to negotiate a formula to make the election acceptable to all and democracy continue.
He also recommended introduction of two rules--a person shall not be able to be the prime minister more than twice and the election will be staggered over a period of time instead of a daylong voting.
Prof Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of Shushashoner Jonnoy Nagorik (Shujan), which organised the roundtable on the prevailing political realties at Jatiya Press Club, viewed that a joint charter of all political parties could be formulated as in 1991 to overcome the crisis.
He said the charter would enunciate some pre-election duties, election-time activities and post-election activities for a fair election and good governance.
Majumdar proposed formation of a search committee comprising retired chief justices to select a chief adviser of the polls-time impartial government.
The committee will also propose 15 names for advisers, and the chief adviser will pick up 10 of them , he said.
For creating a congenial atmosphere for dialogue, the opposition leaders should be released from jail and the opposition party should refrain from violence, Majumdar said.