Interim cabinet opts for political consensus on unseating President
FE REPORT | Friday, 25 October 2024
The interim government has decided to elicit political consensus to settle the demand for abdication of President Sahabuddin following his reported double talk on former premier's resignation, while agitations continue.
An adviser of the stand-in government informed reporters Thursday when asked through which constitutional rules the President would be removed.
"Since it's a matter of political decision, we do not see it as a legal or constitutional issue," adviser Syeda Rizwana Ahmed said in a media briefing after the meeting of the council of advisers.
"This is a political decision. To place the cart before the horse is problematic. The question is how we will deal with the demand raised by people for resignation of the President," she told the journalists.
"It is a political issue now. Since the demand is raised by the people and our government is the outcome of a mass upsurge, so whether we have to abide by the rules of the constitution word for word or not," she said.
"And we also think whether it can be easier for us after having consensus from all the political parties in this regard."
The briefing session was told that the age limit for government services was raised to 32 years by the council of advisers and a gazette notification would be issued in this regard very soon.
Ms Rizwana also said the Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student outfit of the Bangladesh Awami League, was banned as it resorted to terrorist activities before and after the July revolution.
Different agencies have specific proof of the BCL's terrorist activities, she pointed out.
However, she said, there were no discussions in the council over the issue of banning the Awami League.
Special Adviser to the CA, Mahfuz Alam, said since the BCL is now a banned outfit, its publicity in the media is illegal.
He also announced that the government is committed to ensuring freedom of press and any attempt to attack or put pressure on any media house would be resisted by the government.
Adviser Rizwana informed that the government decided that this year no one will be allowed to perform hajj at government expense except those who are involved with hajj management.
"We have decided to lower the cost of performing Hajj as much as possible," she said, to give good news to aspirant pilgrims.
Responding to a question she said that the government is committed to resolving all the issues of minorities through dialogues and urged them not to take the issues to the streets.
Responding to another question, she said India should realise that the people of Bangladesh are not happy over their visa restrictions.
She also made a mention of the fact that the perpetrators of mass killing during July revolution are 'reportedly being given shelter' in India.
Shafiqul Alam, Press Secretary to the CA, moderated the briefing.
Meanwhile, a group of protesters staged demonstrations afresh in front of the Bangabhaban on Thursday on demand for President Mohammed Shahabuddin's resignation for the third consecutive day.
They started gathering there since morning, but all left due to inclement weather in the afternoon. To avoid any untoward situation tight security cordons have been ensured on the roads adjacent to the Bangabhaban, President's Office.
Law-enforcers barricaded the road in front of Bangabhaban since morning. Army, Armed Police Battalion (APBN), Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and BGB (Border Guard Bangladesh) members were put on high alert.
Ibrahim Sabbir, one of the protesters, said, "We have been here since October 22 demanding resignation of the President. But he could not be removed as the constitution has no option for it. We don't obey the constitution that cannot prosecute Hasina-Chuppu (Mohammed Shahbuddin)."
Protesters have continued demonstrations in front of the Bangabhaban since October 22 to press their demand for Shahabuddin's resignation after his remark on Sheikh Hasina's resignation letter.
In an interview published in a Bengali newspaper President Mohammed Shahabuddin said, "I heard that she (Sheikh Hasina) resigned. But I don't have any documentary evidence."
At one point of the interview, the President said, "There is no more debate about this. It is true that the Prime Minister has left. Still, I have taken the opinion of the Supreme Court so that this question never arises."
However, the President, in his speech addressed to the nation on August 5 this year after Sheikh Hasina having fled amid an uprising, acknowledged that Sheikh Hasina resigned from the post of Prime Minister and he received the resignation letter.
The President also mentioned the matter in a letter sent to the Supreme Court for asking its opinion over the legality of giving the oath to the interim government.
However, in the interview with the Manab Zamin Chief Editor he denied receiving the resignation letter. Such a self-contradictory comment of the President has stirred up controversy.
Sheikh Hasina flew to India on August 5 amid a student-mass uprising that started in early July. The president during his address to the nation on August 5 said he received Sheikh Hasina's resignation letter.