Advisers' hectic efforts fail as CA stands in their way

bdpublic · Editor Joined: 30 Nov 2006 Posts: 39

Advisers' hectic efforts fail as CA stands in their way
Iajuddin remains rigid on Zakaria's stay in EC; advisers oppose his plan to confront Bangabhaban sit-in with forces
Zayadul Ahsan and Shakhawat Liton

President and Chief Adviser (CA) Iajuddin Ahmed last night threatened to deploy army to maintain law and order around the Bangabhaban if the Awami League (AL) led 14-party combine and its allies enforce a sit-in around his official residence.

However, the advisers who were busy throughout the day trying to break the stalemate over reconstitution of the Election Commission (EC) in line with its package proposals vehemently opposed the president's move and left the Bangabhaban without ending the last night's meeting with CA, sources said.

The advisory council to the caretaker government had earlier put forward a proposal to recast the EC by sending two election commissioners--SM Zakaria and Modabbir Hossain Chowdhury--on leave and appointing new election commissioners. But the president suddenly appeared adamantly opposed to the idea of sending Zakaria on leave.

At the meeting, the advisers reminded President Iajuddin Ahmed that the proposals were drawn up in consultation with the two major political alliances and were endorsed at the advisory council's meeting with the CA himself in the chair.

In reply, Iajuddin said Election Commissioner SM Zakaria will continue to be in the EC. His remark was followed by a heated argument between the CA and the advisers.

The advisers alleged [at the meeting] that the favourable atmosphere that they had brought about after days of hectic negotiations is being destroyed due to the president's stance and the political situation is becoming volatile again.

The advisers reminded him that if the proposal for recasting the EC is not carried out, the political parties will go for even tougher programmes to have the package proposals implemented.

Then Iajuddin told the advisers that he will not allow any political party to confine him at the Bangabhaban.

"I won't allow that to happen. I will deploy army in the Bangabhaban area to maintain law and order," an adviser quoted the president as saying at the meeting.

The advisers opposed the president's remark together and said the situation does not warrant for army deployment.

"Enforcing a programme is a democratic right of a political party. You can tackle the political programmes by deploying police, and if necessary paramilitary BDR. But in no way can you call in army to face the political programmes unless you proclaim a state of emergency," an adviser told the president.

The other advisers echoed the view. At that point, the president told them that they might leave and that he will go ahead with his move, the sources added.

Earlier in the day, the president summoned the chiefs of the Armed Forces Division and NSI to discuss army deployment. He also signed an order to deploy army and later gave it to the advisers for their approval. But the advisers declined to consent to the order.

ALTERNATIVE PROPOSAL
In the morning, the advisers came up with a new proposal that says the two controversial commissioners- Zakaria and Modabbir--will be sent on leave while there will be no new appointment to the EC.

Accordingly, they had initiated a move to convince the AL-led 14-party alliance, but the president did not consent to the move to make Zakaria take time off till the election is over, sources said.

The new proposal came following the opposition of the chief adviser and four-party alliance to the sending of Zakaria on leave. The 14-party combine outright rejected it and demanded implementation of the original proposal regarding reconstitution of the EC, added the sources.

On receiving negative response from the AL and its allies, the council of advisers that prepared the new proposals in the morning's meeting sat again in the evening to review the situation.

The morning meeting that ended at about 1:30pm decided to open another round of negotiation with the two major political alliances with the new proposal.

The advisers however could not open another round negotiation, as the AL remained rigid on implementation of the advisers' original proposal on EC.

Emerging from the four hours long evening meeting, Adviser CM Shafi Sami told reporters that they had initiated some efforts regarding to recasting the EC, but the efforts were not succeeded.

"Some initiatives are still on and we hope a result will come by tomorrow," Shafi said.

Pressed by mobs of waiting reporters, Sami admitted that their efforts hit snags as he said: "The knot now remains stuck at one point and we are trying to resolve it."

To another question, he said the two alliances agreed on certain proposals of the package and the announcement of the revised election schedule and work on correcting voters' list are outcome of the agreements.

Source: The daily star
http://thedailystar.net/2006/12/10/d6121001011.htm

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