DHAKA, 31 December 2006 — Secretary-general of immediate past ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan has said the Awami League-led grand alliance was trying to create a constitutional crisis in the country by hampering the general election process.
“Their (grand alliance) programs (movement) tell us they are out to hamper the election process,” he told a press briefing at BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Hawa Bhaban office in Dhaka.
He said they were again trying to make the chief adviser of the caretaker government a fresh issue demanding the resignation of President Iajuddin Ahmed from the office of chief adviser.
“The question does not arise for the chief adviser to step down,” Bhuiyan said in a sharp reaction to the fresh agitation program announced by the grand alliance Friday.
He said updating of the electoral roll is a continuous process and it could be corrected anytime, but there is no scope to reschedule the election as it has been done for several times. “There is no scope to go beyond the present position. If done so and if the elections are not held within the stipulated time, there will be a serious constitutional crisis.” About the grand alliance’s demand for withdrawal of elite security force Rapid Action Battalion, the BNP secretary-general said arms recovery drives are conducted before each and every election for creating an enabling atmosphere for the election so that people can exercise their franchise uninterruptedly.
