Govt waiting for ‘political consensus’ on president’s removal: Adviser Rizwana

The interim government has to wait for a political consensus to be reached before it decides on the president’s resignation, says Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan.

“This is a big decision,” she said. “We shouldn’t rush into it. Similarly, we shouldn’t cause unnecessary delays.”

“As efforts are underway to reach a political consensus, we must wait until then.”

She made the remarks in response to questions from the media at the Secretariat on Sunday.

 “In the president's case, there is no chance of a secret decision being made. When a decision is made, it will be public."

The Adviser said: "Now, as soon as political consensus is achieved, a decision will be taken on that basis. I cannot say what the decision will be because I cannot say where the political consensus will trend, and in which direction opinion will turn. No one can predict at the moment."

The BNP says it will announce its position on the matter after discussing the issue at a party forum.

Rizwana said, “The BNP said they see it leading to a political crisis, but one or two leaders from the BNP say they do not see the crisis.”

"Efforts are underway to reach a consensus between those who are demanding that [the president] needs to be removed and those who are saying that it will lead to a political crisis.”

Asked whether the interim government being sworn in by Shahabuddin, who was appointed during the Awami League’s tenure, called the new government into question, the Adviser said:

"It does not call it into question. You may have heard of the Doctrine of Necessity - it is a doctrine established across the world. Constitutional continuity was our only option."

Regarding the ongoing discussions, she said: “Perhaps there is no need to talk to everyone. Those who think removal or resignation is necessary versus those who think the removal would cause a crisis—the discussion will essentially be between them."

 “Now, the interim cabinet has been clear that the decision will be based on a political consensus. We cannot comment without knowing what the political consensus will be.”

The Adviser said, “We will have to wait until then as a political consensus is reached."

Two and a half months after former prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India on Aug 5, a controversy has brewed over whether she officially resigned before leaving the country.

In an interview with the editor of the Daily Manab Zamin, President Shahabuddin said that he had been told about Hasina's resignation, but did not have any documentary evidence of it.

The president has faced a backlash since the statement was published. Law Adviser Asif Nazrul claimed that Shahabuddin had broken his oath by stating a ‘lie’. He then discussed the possibility of the president’s removal.

Since then, many organisations associated with the July-August uprising, including the Anti-discrimination Student Movement, have taken to the field with demands for the president's resignation.