With the military-backed non-party caretaker government's “minus two” formula fizzling out, moves are afoot in Dhaka to form a new political party with “honest” politicians opposed to family hierarchy.
The caretaker administration governing the country since the figurehead President Iajuddin Ahmed clamped emergency on January 11 planned to send former prime ministers Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina into exile and bring about political reforms. But the “minus two” move boomeranged due to criticism at home and abroad.
Khaleda’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Hasina’s Awami League have, meanwhile, agreed to bring about reforms in their parties.
Hasina has already appointed a committee to look into it and submit a report within one month.
Both leaders seem to agree that the constitutions of their parties need to be changed drastically.
Firdaus Ahmed Qureshi, a former BNP leader and Sheikh Shahidul Islam, secretary general of Jatiya Party, are working towards  forming a new party.
Shahidul Islam’s party chief, Anwar Hossain Manju, has fled the country after two cases were filed against him. He had been a minister in the cabinets of Gen Hussain Muhammad Ershad and Hasina.
“We will announce the formation of our party when the government withdraws the ban on political activities,” said Islam, a cousin of Hasina.
Qureshi said they were in touch with a number of leaders of other parties.
He would not directly say that the proposed party would have the government’s backing. “We think the government should back all parties,” he said.
Army chief Gen Moeen U Chowdhury has declared that he would not form any political party.