The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Politicians, legal experts and representatives of the civil society at a roundtable in the city urged the Caretaker Government (CG) to hold national Parliament election within December and to hand over power to the elected representatives by that time.

They also urged the CG to prevent the war criminals from participating in the national election for establishment of the basic ideology of the Liberation War and 'establishment of secular democratic Bangladesh.'

The roundtable on 'For free and fair election but not to return evil political circle' organised by Citizen Rights Movement at the National Press Club.

Justice Gaura Gopal Saha, Awami League leaders Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzak and Col (Retd) Faruk Khan, former secretary of BNP Chairperson Mofazzal Karim, Vice Chairman of Bangladesh Bar Council advocate Khondaker Mahbub Hossain, researcher and columnist Syed Abul Maksud, former minister Sheikh Shahidul Islam, former MP GM Kader, BGMEA President Anwarul Alam Chowdhury Parvez, among others, spoke at the roundtable.

Speakers presented 15-point recommendations to the CG for holding a free and fair election in the country.

They urged the CG to increase activities of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for curbing all kinds of corruption from the country and give exemplary punishment to those involved in corruption.

To ensure credibility of the present CG, punish all political leaders and persons involved in various types of unethical activities during its tenure and to abolish classification of the detainees in jails.

The government should play a neutral role in forming a representative democratic state and also perform its duties properly, they said.

They recommended the CG to increase foreign employment opportunities so that unemployment problem could be reduced.

The government should give autonomy to the Bangladesh Television (BTV) and Betar immediately so that the image of the CG would be enhanced, said speakers.

To improve the dignity of judges, the government should give punishment to those judges, including controversial justice MA Aziz, who were charged with embezzlement of funds, they recommended.