Bangladesh News

The Awami League (AL)-led 14-party alliance yesterday demanded that President and Chief Adviser (CA) of the Caretaker Government (CG) Iajuddin Ahmed shift the CA’s office from the Bangabhaban and perform his duties as the CA from there to show his neutrality.

“The president has been guided by a number of Bangabhaban officials who are appointed by the previous BNP-Jamaat coalition government and have links with Hawa Bhaban (widely considered an alternative centre of power of the previous government) . So, it is not possible for the president to perform neutrally his duties as chief adviser from the Bangabhaban,” 14-party coordinator and AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil told a press briefing at AL’s Dhanmondi office in the capital.

In the past, the Prime Minister’s Office was used as the CA’s office.

Jalil said the BNP-Jamaat alliance that opposed chief election commissioners (CEC) in the past is backing the present CEC to obstruct creation of a congenial atmosphere for a free and fair election. “Ignoring the people’s demand, the BNP-Jamaat coalition is now pressuring the CEC not to resign just to push the country towards a state of confrontation,” he said.

CEC Justice MA Aziz is mentally sick, Jalil said. And he wants to hold an election as per a BNP-Jamaat ‘blueprint’ despite the people’s demand for his resignation, the 14-party leader added.

He hoped the CEC would step down to save the country from confrontations.

Reiterating the demand for immediate removal of the CEC, three election commissioners, the EC secretary and 300 upazila election officers by November 11, Jalil said otherwise non-stop blockade programmes will start across the country.

Later, AL Joint General Secretary Obaidul Quader held another briefing there. He warned that if officials of the Bangabhaban and those of both the civil and police administration at all levels as well as the state-run media do not stop toeing the line of Hawa Bhaban by November 11, they would face people’s wrath.

Jalil demanded immediate withdrawal of police protection for all former ministers of the previous government and from Hawa Bhaban.

Blaming Hawa Bhaban for all conspiracies, misrule and corruption, he also demanded an impartial probe to find out the persons involved in those.

Once again terming the recent reshuffle in the administration an “eyewash”, he alleged officials who would obstruct holding a free and fair election continue to be in their position. He demanded immediate changes in the civil and police administration as were done ahead of the 2001 election.

Jalil said the law secretary, director general of National Security Intelligence (NSI), chief of Bangladesh Institute of Administrative Management and establishment secretary are beneficiaries of the previous government, and they are still in their posts.

All contractual appointments made during the previous government’s tenure must be cancelled through a single notification, he demanded.

He also said the power secretary, who is known as a highly corrupt official, was been brought back soon after his transfer to make a payment of Tk 500 crore to Hawa Bhaban. He also demanded taking statements under section 164 of the CrPC from militant supremos Abdur Rahman and Bangla Bhai to identify their patrons.

On gunshots at former law minister Moudud Ahmed’s residence, Jalil said they heard he might join Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and that those who attacked LDP leaders’ houses might fire shots at his residence.

Those present at the briefing included senior 14-party leaders Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Suranjit Sengupta, Matia Chowdhury, Obaidul Quader, Mohammad Nasim, Abdul Mannan, Abdur Rahman, Bimal Biswas, Pankaj Bhattacharya, Dilip Barua and Nurul Islam.