He said since the general election will be held under the caretaker government, it is their responsibility to carry out reforms in the electoral laws.

The roundtable titled 'Tolerance in politics and the next election' was jointly organised by Bangladesh Human Rights Co-ordination Council (BHRCC) and Development Organisation of the Rural Poor (DORP) to mark the International Human Rights Day at the Biam auditorium in the city.

The minister said the next general election will be held as per the constitution, and the responsibility of holding a free and fair election lies with the election commission and the caretaker government.

He said the opposition can discuss those issues either at the Jatiya Sangsad or outside. But there is no scope for constitutional reform in this regard, he asserted.

Moudud said the government will not resign even one day before its five-year term.

Criticising the militancy, the minister said though the militants are carrying out bomb attacks across the country in the name of Islam, they are not doing it for establishing Islam.

The militancy is part of a political conspiracy by the vested quarters, he added.

Moudud said the Awami League (AL) wants to get benefit by lingering the militant issue and that's why it has not agreed to join the dialogue with the government on the issue.

He however urged the opposition parties to join the dialogue so that a solution can be found out to get rid of the situation.

AL lawmaker Abdur Razzak said the outlawed Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) is a secret organisation of Jamaat-e-Islami.

He alleged that Jamaat has 13 secret organisations like JMB and it can use them one after another to fulfil its ill motives.

Razzak said the JMB threats not to celebrate the Victory Day and play national anthem and hoist the national flag violates the constitution and sovereignty of the state.

"Now the existence of the country is under threat," he claimed.

Razzak said a vested quarter wants to push back the country to Pakistan period by destroying the country through bomb attacks.

He urged patriotic people to be united to fight back those enemies of the state.

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal President Hasanul Haq Inu said a free and fair election cannot be held under the present chief election commissioner as he takes decisions in an autocratic way without discussing with two other commissioners.

Former advisor to caretaker government Hafizuddin Khan, Gono Forum General Secretary Saifuddin Ahmed Manik, BHRCC Advisor R W Timm, Dr Jafrullah Chowdhury of Gono Swasthya Kendra, New Nation Editor Mostafa Kamal Majumdar, Deputy Editor of the Inqilab Manjurul Alam, DU Teacher Dr Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah, Brother D'Souza, Sharif A Kafi and Dr Khurshid Alam also spoke at the roundtable.

Presided over by BMBS General Secretary AHM Noman, the roundtable was moderated by noted TV presenter of 'Tritio Matra' Zillur Rahman.