Dhaka: Welcoming the Supreme Court verdict restoring the election-time caretaker government system, National Citizen Party (NCP) Member-Secretary Akhtar Hossain stated that the nation has been “freed from a long-standing stigma” as the caretaker model remains the most acceptable mechanism for peaceful power transfer. “The court’s decision declaring the previous annulment of the 13th amendment unconstitutional has corrected a historic wrong committed during the tenure of the former Awami League government,” he said during a press briefing at the party’s Banglamotor office this evening.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Akhtar emphasized that “The caretaker government must be formed exactly as outlined in the July Charter. We welcome today’s verdict with that expectation.” He remarked that the verdict has relieved the nation from the disgrace created when the caretaker government system was abolished using the judiciary. The caretaker arrangement is still the only widely accepted model in Bangladesh for ensuring credible elections.
He alleged that the cancellation of the 13th amendment paved the way for one-sided elections in 2014, 2018, and 2024, “opening the door to authoritarianism.” The latest verdict, he said, has restored public confidence in the judicial process. Akhtar, however, emphasized that merely returning to the previous amendment would not ensure stability. He argued that the July Charter, drafted through national consensus, offers a clearer and more inclusive framework for forming a non-partisan caretaker government.
“Relying solely on the old judicial formula may create new political complications. The July Charter proposes a broader, consensus-based mechanism where the ruling party, the main opposition, and the second-largest opposition jointly nominate the chief adviser and other advisers to the caretaker government,” he added. Regarding the July Charter, Akhtar said, “The government must give a clear and transparent explanation of the July Charter. Without that clarity, the expected political understanding cannot be achieved.”
He reiterated that the NCP will only sign the July Charter if those ambiguities are removed and its full implementation is guaranteed. On the upcoming election, Akhtar stated that all parties want a peaceful, participatory national poll and a stable pattern of democratic transition. Referring to the interim government, Akhtar noted that it was formed through unprecedented mass uprising and the sacrifice of students, and that the consensus commission has already endorsed the July Charter’s caretaker formula.