They said as the present government has two-thirds majority in parliament, they can easily amend the constitution to make the caretaker system institutionalised and accountable.

The speakers said a person cannot be neutral, but an institution can be neutral.

So the nation will have no need to search out a neutral person acceptable to all parties before the election, they added.

The roundtable was organised by Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Rob) at the National Press Club in the city with its President ASM Abdur Rob in the chair.

The speakers said the concept of caretaker government was developed because of the failure of major political parties to run the country efficiently.

They said caretaker government wouldn't be needed if the elected government does their duties according to rules and constitution after taking the oath of office.

If an elected government can't be neutral for only three months to conduct an election, how do we expect them doing their activities neutrally in their five-year term? asked the speakers.

They said the BNP and Awami League are now engaged in a drama over the reforms in election commission and caretaker government system only to hide their failure in running the country.

The speakers said defence forces' main duty is to protect the country from any intruders, not helping the election commission in conducting the general election, so it must be under the President because he is the one to declare war at any emergency.

Abdur Rab said despite knowledge, resources, and advancement in science and technology, the country cannot step forward because of some corrupt peoples' looting the country in the name of politics.

Speaking on the occasion Krishak Sramik Janata League Chief Bangabir Kader Siddiqui MP said heads of two main political parties know nothing about politics and they rule the country with the prescription of western countries and donors.

Brigadier General (Retd) Shakhawat Hossain alleged that politicisation of defence forces' has started and major political parties think that without the support of the defence forces they wouldn't gain the power.

Prof Ataur Rahman of Dhaka University said democracy wouldn't be established unless lawmakers attend parliament session seriously.

Eminent Lyricist Shahidullah Farayezi, Prof Humayun Kabir Hiru, Scientist Dr Abdul Khaleq, Prof Shafiullah, and Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury also took part in the roundtable.

On election and caretaker reform proposal, JSD (Rob) stressed on the preparation of new voter list, introduction of voter identity card, and transparent ballot box.

About political party reform, it said no party with less than 5,000 members should be allowed to run its activities.