The election commission might announce the schedule of the 12th parliamentary election in the first week of November while the polls will be held in late December or early January next year.
In this equation, the election-time government might be formed in the first week of November led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Now it has become the talk of the country that in what format the polls-time government would be formed. Who will be included in that government? However, none has a clear idea about the formation of the election-time government. It fully depends on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
According to a high-level source of the government, the size of the election-time government will be small this time. All eyes are on the election-time government as the time is approaching close.
There was a 29-member government before the 10th parliamentary election in 2013. That government had 10 advisers also. The size of that government was 39 members. Some ministers and state ministers were dropped and some new faces were included in the cabinet. The same system might be applied this time also.
Contacted, Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is in charge of election-time government. She will decide the size of the government.
Several sources of the government said some new faces might be included in the polls-time government. One-two from the Jatiya Party, one from the Workers Party, and one from Jasod might be placed in the cabinet. Even lawmakers from Ganaforum, JP, and Tarikat Federation with clean images could be included in the election-time cabinet as a surprise.
Senior Awami League leader Amir Hossain Amu, Tofael Ahmed, Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon, and Jasod president Hasanul Haq Inu were included in the cabinet before the 10th parliamentary election. This time, the same surprise might come in the cabinet, said the government sources.
If election-time government is not formed incumbent ministers will perform their routine job. Those who will vie for the next election can take security but won’t take protocol.
Fisheries and Livestock Minister and senior lawyer of the Supreme Court SM Rezaul Karim said an elected government would hand over power to another elected government and it is normal procedure. All incumbent ministers would perform their duties. There is no law in the Constitution for the resignation or inclusion of a new face in the cabinet.
On the other hand, a source of the election commission said the commission wants to gift the nation a participatory election. For this reason, several dates have been fixed for the polls. It will announce the election schedule keeping 50-60 days in hand.
Election Commissioner Brig General (Retd) Ahsan Habib Khan told Bangladesh Pratidin that he hopes the schedule of the election will be announced in early November. “We are trying to hold a free, fair, acceptable and participatory election. Hope all political parties will take part in the election.”
As per the Constitution, the election commission will have to hold parliamentary polls before 90 days of January 29, 2024. The countdown of the 12th national election will be started on November 1.
@ The article was published on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on October 14, 2023, and has been rewritten in English by Golam Rosul.
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