Bangladesh Law Advisor rules out lifting of emergency soon

Bangladeshs military-backed interim government has said that chances of lifting of emergency, proclaimed nearly four months ago, are slim.

By Nazrul Islam

Dhaka, May 9 : Bangladesh's military-backed interim government has said that chances of lifting of emergency, proclaimed nearly four months ago, are slim.

"No one thinks that an atmosphere for the lifting of the state of emergency has been created," the country's Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Advisor, Mainul Hosein, told reporters here on Tuesday.

Hosein's comments came a day after several thousand people came out on to the streets defying certain sections of the Emergency Powers Rules to welcome the Awami League president Sheikh Hasina, who was earlier barred from flying home, at the Zia International Airport on her triumphant return from London.

Leaders and activists of the Awami League on Monday chanted slogans in a large procession escorting Sheikh Hasina's motorcade from the airport to her Sudha Sadan residence on that day.

Asked whether the government was planning to lift the state of emergency or relax the rules in near future, Hosein replied in the negative saying, "It does not seem to anybody that the state of emergency can be lifted soon."

There was no parliament to which the government could hand over power after withdrawal of the state of emergency, he added.

The present interim government assumed office on January 12, a day after the state of emergency was declared, and initiated an apparently lengthy reforms agenda that included political and institutional issues before holding the stalled parliamentary polls, originally scheduled for January 22.

Notably, the constitutional provisions concerned calls for approval of the state of emergency by parliament within four months of its promulgation, but in case of non existence of parliament the duration could be longer until the next parliament is elected.

Meanwhile, the interim government of Fakhruddin Ahmed, which has the tacit support of international donors, is now facing pressure from the international community and the political elite at home as well.

They want the current ban on political activities to be lifted soon to start the process for the holding the next general elections at the earliest.

"Indoor politics should resume soon...The ban on indoor politics may be lifted within two-three months as the Election Commission will hold talks with the political parties on the polls," Hosein said last month. But he declined to make any comment this time on the matter.

In a recent statement, 14 members of the European Parliament urged Bangladesh to urgently lift the state of emergency to pave the way for polls.

"We believe it is imperative that all political parties and the caretaker government of Bangladesh work together to ensure the effective protection of the democratic rights of every individual whatever their political persuasion," the EU lawmakers said in a statement.

Commonwealth Secretary General Don McKinnon said in London on May 3 that he strongly believed that a return to democratic governance at the soonest should be the only way forward for Bangladesh and that chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed's government should be wary of the people's patience running out in the interim.

He made the comments when Hasina called on him in London recently.

Hasina has also urged the interim administration to hold the election soon.

ANI