In reply to a letter sent nine days ago by Abdul Jalil, AL general secretary and coordinator of the AL-led opposition line-up, BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan proposed constituting the committee with five members from each side of the political divide.

Mannan Bhuiyan's letter, which came after a day of police-opposition skirmishes over a 14-party sit-in programme around the Secretariat, asked the AL to name policymaking-level leaders of the opposition coalition as the committee members. "We wouldn't have any objection if you want to nominate non-MP leaders, too, for the greater interest of the discussion," it added.

BNP Office Secretary Mofiqul Hasan Tripti, accompanied by Assistant Office Secretary Ahmed Musa, handed over the letter to Abdul Jalil at his Gulshan residence at 4:00pm yesterday. Bhuiyan's emissaries stayed at Jalil's house for about 15 minutes, when AL leaders Obaidul Kader and ASM Kamal were also present.

In an impromptu reaction, Jalil said he appreciates the response, though delayed, and takes it as a 'positive' sign. "I'll talk to the leader [of the opposition] today [about the reply] and the letter will be tabled at a 14-party meeting tomorrow [Saturday]," he told reporters.

Jalil sent his March 22 letter in response to a letter from Mannan Bhuiyan on March 20 inviting the main opposition party to join a committee to discuss its reform demands. In his letter, the 14-party coordinator asked for some clarifications on composition of the committee--whether it would be a parliamentary or a political one--and on its tenure.

Opposition Leader Sheikh Hasina in a speech in parliament on February 12 put forward the demands for reforms in the caretaker government and electoral systems. She also threatened not to participate in the next general elections if the reforms are not made.

In her valedictory speech on February 28 in the last session of the eighth Jatiya Sangsad, Leader of the House and Prime Minister Khaleda Zia promised to commission a committee to discuss the opposition's reform demands.

In yesterday's letter, the BNP secretary general avoided fixing the tenure of the proposed committee and said the committee should define its time-frame and modus operandi on its own.

"I expect the opposition would soon send the nominations. We'll also announce the names of our leaders who will be on the committee. The discussion on reforms will kick-start as soon as the committee is set up," Bhuiyan told the press at his residence last afternoon.

Asked whether the committee would also draw from the leaders of the BNP's coalition partners, he said yes.

On what took his party so long to reply, Bhuiyan said it was because when he received Jalil's letter the prime minister was away in India and then again she was preoccupied with some important programmes for a few days after returning home.

While Jalil remarked that it would look better had the BNP sent the letter before Thursday's sit-in programme around the Secretariat, Mannan Bhuiyan reasoned, "As she [Khaleda Zia] was very busy, there were some delays in holding our own discussions on the issue, which put off replying to your letter."

Now that the BNP has agreed to widen the committee's representation by allowing opposition leaders outside parliament to be part of it, a positive response from the opposition should let the committee be formed and function, political analysts remarked.

REFORM AGENDA ON CARETAKER GOVT
The opposition's five-point proposal to reform the caretaker government system includes the following:

The president in consultation with all political parties will appoint acceptable and trusted persons as the chief adviser and advisers of the caretaker government.

During the tenure of the caretaker government, the president will act on all matters relating to state on advice of the chief adviser, taking the parliamentary democracy into consideration.

During its term, the caretaker government will run the defence ministry.

And, jurisdiction of the caretaker government will be confined to conducting the day-to-day work and assisting the Election Commission (EC) in holding the general elections.

EC REFORMS
The reform proposals regarding the EC include the appointment of the chief election commissioner (CEC) and other election commissioners in consultation with political parties. The number of election commissioners will also be determined through consultation. In case of any difference in opinion, the decision on the EC will follow the majority view.

Being a permanent constitutional body, the EC has to have the ability and status to conduct elections neutrally. It will have an independent secretariat free of control of the executive. The EC will also expand its organisational framework down to upazila level and appoint and control its entire staff.

During the election period, the government will arrange for adequate manpower as required by the EC.

The EC will enjoy full financial independence and the finance ministry will have no control over the release of its funds.

It will have full authority to appoint the returning officers, presiding officers and the law enforcement agencies to ensure security during the elections, and the government will be bound to take necessary actions as per the EC demands. The law enforcement agencies will be under the EC during the election period.

The EC will be fully independent in announcing election schedule and preparing election rules.

The EC will be able to postpone or cancel elections for violation of electoral laws or rules, to issue arrest orders and punish the violators. During the election period, it will have judicial power.

The voter list will be prepared maintaining complete transparency. The voter list preparation and issuance of voter identity (ID) cards will have to be computerised and electronic voting has to be introduced.

Transparent ballot boxes with serial numbers will have to be arranged. Vote counting will be made in presence of all and the signed copy of the results will have to be given to every candidate or his nominee and designated observer. The returning officer will send the consolidated statement of the election results to the EC secretariat and only the EC will announce the results.

The election tribunals will dispose of any case of election results within two months and any appeal will have to be disposed of by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court within three months.

REFORMS IN ELECTORAL LAWS
The proposals for reforms in the electoral rules and regulations say in order to protect the electoral process from the impact of black money, the candidates must make public their assets and dependants.

An election officer will monitor electoral expenses of the candidates in every constituency and send reports to the EC secretariat.

All candidates must submit statements of their election expenses within a month of the polls.

All candidates have to provide the EC with personal information, including their academic qualifications, source of income, and description of assets and liabilities.

It will also be compulsory for all political parties to submit their financial reports to the EC.

Owners of black money, loan defaulters and relatives of loan defaulters, and persons who opposed the Liberation War and were war criminals will be ineligible to contest the elections. No political party will nominate any criminal and owner of black money to contest the elections.

The proposals include imposing ban on 'religion-based politics' and using religion for seeking vote. The opposition camp also wants a ban on electioneering at religious places like mosques, temples and churches.

The political parties have to strictly control their expenses for rallies and processions, after declaration of the election schedule.

The lists of presiding officers, assistant presiding officers and polling officers will have to be delivered to the candidates while the lists of polling centres will have to be made public at least 15 days ahead of the polls.

Apart from the above, the reform agenda also proposes to increase the number of women's reserved seats in parliament and direct election to them.

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