By IANS
Dhaka : Bangladesh’s caretaker government head Fakhruddin Ahmed has rebutted criticism that the country is placed under dual rule, saying the army was merely “assisting” the government in “curbing corruption” and maintaining law and order and did not have any political role.
“I do not feel the existence of dual rule… the army is assisting the civil government and playing an important role in curbing corruption, improving law and order, distributing flood relief. I do not see the reflection of their political role through these activities,” the country’s Chief Adviser said in an interview with BBC Bangla Service.
Ahmed sought to end a recent controversy when his Law and Information Advisor Mainul Hosein claimed the government was “army backed”, and that it was “a national government”.
Army Chief Gen. Moin U. Ahmed contradicted Hosein and said the government had the army’s backing, just like it had the backing of the police or any other agency.
The Chief Adviser, who performs prime ministerial functions, said the reasons that had led to the promulgation of the state of emergency “have not all disappeared”, but assured that the emergency would be lifted “at an appropriate time”, United News of Bangladesh (UNB) news agency said.
Ahmed rejected the charge that his government or its agencies were engaged in changing leadership of major political parties or splitting the parties through the political reform process now underway.
What was happening was due to the internal affairs of the parties, he maintained.
Leaders of the two major parties, Sheikh Hasina (Awami League) and Begum Khaleda Zia (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) are in jail facing corruption charges.
The Chief Adviser said lifting of the ban on indoor politics last Sunday had created an atmosphere for political parties to sit with the Election Commission to discuss reforms of election rules and regulations.
He rejected accusations that the ban on indoor politics was relaxed only after the arrest of Khaleda Zia in a bid to expedite the reform process and to remove both Hasina and Khaleda from their party leadership.
He said the government had been contemplating lifting of the ban and it was done to allow parties to discuss their own party reforms as well as cooperate with the Election Commission in reforming election rules and regulations.
Asked about the conditions imposed after lifting the ban on indoor politics, he said these were “not conditions, but some explanations or parameters to give a clear idea” about indoor politics so that those who would practise it “would not face any confusion”, he was quoted as saying in The Daily Star.