The Awami League (AL) is eagerly awaiting the BNP’s formula concerning a neutral poll-time government under which its arch rival wants to take part in the next general elections, expected to be held in December this year. AL insiders said though the ruling party would not go beyond the Constitution, it would like to see the BNP’s framework for a poll-time government. The framework might be considered if did not run contrary to the Constitution, they added. The insiders also said it was not possible to hold an uncontested election like the one in 2014.

Many senior leaders of the ruling AL think that the BNP’s participation was needed in the next polls to make them acceptable to all.

However, the two parties are still sticking to their respective stances. While the BNP is rigid on its demand for holding the next national election under a non-partisan poll-time government, the AL insists that the elections would be conducted as per the constitutional provisions.

Speaking on the issue, AL general secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday said they were eagerly waiting to see the BNP’s formula on a neutral election-time government. “BNP leaders wanted an election-time framework from the Prime Minister. But we'll not give any framework as to how to hold the next polls. We're waiting to see the BNP's framework.”

Quader was speaking with reporters at his Secretariat office yesterday.

Talking to this correspondent on the issue, Quader said time would tell whether the BNP’s framework would be considered or not.

Earlier, the AL general secretary had said a dialogue could be held with the BNP in future. A political party that believed in democracy could not indefinitely shut the door on talks with other political parties, he had observed.

Meanwhile, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said that his party would unveil the framework of an election-time government for the 11th parliamentary election at an appropriate time. “There is a time for everything. We'll place the framework of the ‘election-supportive’ government before the nation at a proper time,” he added.

The BNP has been talking about placing the framework of an ‘election-supportive’ government after party chairperson Khaleda Zia mentioned it while suggesting reconstitution and empowerment of the Election Commission in November 2016.

When contacted, AL presidium member Abdur Razzak said the BNP chief's demand for an election-time non-partisan government was not acceptable, as it was a settled issue. The national polls would be held as per the constitutional provisions, he added.

Following a long political turmoil, a non-partisan poll-time caretaker government system was introduced in the country in 1996. But the constitutional provisions for the system were scrapped by Parliament in 2011 during the regime of the then

AL-led government. As the government refused to budge on the BNP's demand for restoration of the caretaker government system, the BNP-led 14-Party Alliance boycotted the 10th parliamentary election in January 2014.

According to the current constitutional provisions, the incumbent government, led by Hasina, will be in power during the next national elections scheduled for late this year or early next year.