Talks over president’s removal: No consensus among political parties

Highlights: 

• In first-round talks, most political parties opposed the move to oust the president
• They said the move might create a "constitutional crisis" and delay elections
• Only four parties are in favour of Shahabuddin's removal
• Student leaders said a second round of dialogues will be held for consensus

In the first round of dialogues with the leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement and National Citizens' Committee, most political parties including the BNP opposed the move to oust President Mohammed Shahabuddin, warning that it could lead to a "constitutional crisis."

Some 30 political parties engaged in separate dialogues in the first round, with 26 of them saying there must be a national consensus before taking such an important step, suggesting that a sudden vacuum in the post may delay the election.

Only four parties – Jamaat-e-Islami, AB Party, Islami Andolon, and a faction of Gono Odhikar Parishad – supported the student leaders' demand for Shahabuddin's removal. They said the constitution cannot be used as an excuse for keeping Shahabuddin in the position.

According to student leaders, the second round of dialogues with parties will be held soon to reach a consensus on the matter. 

The interim government maintains that there has to be a political consensus before taking the step.  

On 27 October, Environment, Forests and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan told reporters, "Efforts are being made to establish a political consensus regarding the removal or resignation of the president. We need to wait for a political consensus to emerge."

"This is a significant decision. We cannot rush it, but we also cannot afford to delay too much," she added.

What the parties said after dialogues

BNP: After the dialogue, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir urged the interim government not to make any hasty decisions in this regard.

He told the media, "No rash decision can be made to ensure that the revolution bears fruits. We believe the president's removal should follow a constitutional process, and it is essential to hold elections swiftly after electoral reforms."

Jamaat: In contrast to BNP's position, Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Ghulam Parwar told reporters, "This issue [of president's removal] has been perpetuated citing the constitution crisis. The constitution should not be used as an excuse, as the July uprising did not adhere to it, nor did the formation of the Advisory Council."

He added, "Just as we established the interim government based on national consensus, we want to resolve the issue of the president in the same manner. We do not want national unity to be undermined because of this." 

12-Party Alliance: Following the dialogue, 12-Party Alliance Spokesperson Shahadat Hossain told reporters, "If there is currently a vacancy in the presidential position, it will lead to a constitutional crisis and delay the elections. This is what we said during the meeting with student leaders."

Left Democratic Alliance: The Left Democratic Alliance held a dialogue with the National Citizens' Committee and the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement leaders at Mukti Bhavan, the office of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) in Old Paltan, Dhaka yesterday.

In a press conference after the meeting, Masud Rana, the coordinator of the Alliance, said, "We have no moral objection to the removal of the president. However, we need to discuss the process and the constitutional basis among ourselves."

He added, "The constitution does not belong to a single party. We believe there should be a constitutional foundation for the president's removal. Achieving consensus among political parties is essential for this." 

Razekuzzaman Ratan, assistant general Secretary of the Socialist Party of Bangladesh (Basad), said, "We do not want to pursue a path that could lead to new conspiracies. Therefore, it is crucial to establish a common consensus through discussions with all political parties to ensure that democracy prevails over fascism. Roadmaps must be developed for this transition."

Ganatantra Manch: Earlier, after the dialogue with student leaders, Six-party alliance Ganatantra Manch Coordinator Mahmudur Rahman Manna, told reporters, "Given the complexities surrounding the removal issue, a political consensus is necessary before making any decision."

What the National Citizens' Committee said

However, at a press conference in the capital's CPB head office yesterday, National Citizens' Committee Convener Nasiruddin Patwari said, "All political parties have agreed on the removal of the president. In the second round, we will discuss the process and engage with the public beforehand."

"The president must go; now it is up to the political parties to decide on the process. We do not want any remnants of fascism in this country," he added.

When asked how consensus could be achieved, he replied, "A commission comprising representatives from various political parties could be established to address the issue of the president's removal."

Adib Arif, a member of the National Citizens' Committee – a political platform formed by students and civil society members to rebuild Bangladesh, told TBS, "While everyone is in favour of the president's removal, they all emphasise the need for it to be carried out with a consensus."