BNP for clipping PM's wings

The BNP could curtail the power of the prime minister and strengthen the roles of lawmakers in parliament if voted to power in the next general election, party insiders claimed.

The party thinks that the prime minister's executive authority has given rise to a “form of autocratic practices within the democratic system”, and, hence, the premier's power should be curtailed.

If the BNP wins, it might amend article 70 of the constitution so that lawmakers would be allowed to cast votes against their party lines, except in the case of no-confidence motion against the government and state budget, the sources added.

Article 70 imposes restriction on MPs to cast votes in parliament against the party. If any MP violated the article, the MP would lose parliament membership.

The party is likely to include all these in its “Vision 2030”. BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia would unveil it through a press conference at the city's Westin Hotel on May 10.

“The BNP chairperson will present [before the nation] what the party will do if it is voted to power and how we want to see Bangladesh in 2030,” Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told The Daily Star.

At the party's national council last year, Khaleda Zia unveiled the vision in brief.

The draft of the “Vision 2030” is likely to be placed today before the meeting of the party's standing committee, the highest policymaking body, for finalisation, party insiders said.

The party would introduce a bicameral parliament, maintaining the unitary nature of the country, and restore the referendum system in the charter, according to the vision.

There would be an upper house of parliament with representatives from different communities, marginal groups, knowledgeable and gifted people from different professions.

Party insiders said the vision might include a proposal on bringing a balance of power between the president and the prime minister by giving the president more authority.

A senior BNP leader seeking anonymity said the “Vision 2030” would ultimately become the party's election manifesto.

There might be a proposal on forming “National Security Council”, party insiders said.

“The vision will encompass social, political and economic issues. It will also include external and internal issues of the state and also government institutions,” said Amir Khoshru Mahmud Chowdhury, standing committee member of the party.

The party plans to combine “3Gs” -- good policies, good governance and good government -- to run the country.

A policy on the appointment of judges to the country's apex court would be proposed in the vision.

In order to encourage accountability among public representatives and government institutions, the BNP wants to make the tax ombudsman functional.

The party was also working on finalising the formula of an election-time assistive government, and the party chief would unveil the formula soon. Later, it would call upon the government to hold talks to settle the issue, party insiders said.

The BNP boycotted the January 5 election in 2014 demanding election under a non-partisan interim administration.