Dhaka: Hailing the Prime Minister for her remarks that she is ready to make any sacrifice for the country, BNP on Monday urged her to take an initiative for placing a bill on polls-time government in parliament through discussions with political parties.

‘Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said she’s ready to make any kind of sacrifice. We appreciate it… we want to urge her to make just a little bit of sacrifice by stepping down as Prime Minister and creating an environment for handing over power to an election time administration for the sake of fair and neutral polls,’ said BNP spokesman Asaduzzaman Ripon.

He also said the current parliament has a legal basis though it has no moral base. ‘So, she (PM) can place a bill on polls-time government in parliament and formulate an election-time government system through talks with all.’

Ripon came up with the remarks at a press briefing at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office.

Earlier on Sunday, addressing a discussion at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre, the Prime Minister said she is ready to make any sacrifice for changing the fate of people and materialising Bangabandhu’s dream.

The BNP spokesman said it will not be any political defeat for the Prime Minister if she takes an initiative to hold a free and fair election under a polls-time government by removing the flaws in the previous caretaker system and modifying it. Rather, if she does it in the interest of the country, it will be a great sacrifice of her.’

He renewed his party’s call to the government for engaging in talks with all concerned for resolving the ongoing political crisis in the country.

‘The Prime Minister can sit in dialogue with all political parties, civil society members and other stakeholders in a bid to hold a free and fair election and overcome the political deadlock. We hope the PM will take the right step to this end considering the country’s unstable situation,’ the BNP leader added.

Referring to the introduction of the non-party caretaker government system by the then BNP-government in 1996 following the demand of Awami League and other parties, Ripon said, ‘Khaleda Zia had stepped down in the wake of the opposition’s demand. It was not a political defeat of the BNP chief. Instead, BNP had emerged as a big opposition party in parliament with 116 seats through the election under the caretaker government.’

He said Sheikh Hasina will be remembered for ever if she makes a sacrifice by quitting her office for the sake of an election under a neutral administration.

Ripon said a dangerous situation has been prevailing in the country as the current government which is not elected with people’s vote has no moral basis. ‘There’s no participation of people in January-5 polls. There’s also an artificial opposition in parliament… the law and order situation has deteriorated sharply, while killing and bloodletting marked a sharp rise as the government has morally failed to dictate.’

He said a fair and credible election is the only way to get rid of the country’s current sordid state.

The BNP leader also condemned the ruling party men’s attacks on students at Kachua in Chandpur.

At least 40 students of from Bhuiyara High School at Kachua were hurt when ruling party’s wing Juba League swooped on a procession of students protesting extortion on Sunday.