Bangladesh News

The Awami League (AL)-led 14-party alliance yesterday urged the countrymen to bear with the heavy sufferings caused by the non-stop countrywide blockade programme a few more days as a result might come within a day or two.

“Please bear with the sufferings one or two more days for the greater interest of the nation. People’s victory will be attained by this time,” 14-party coordinator Abdul Jalil said at a press briefing at Dhanmondi office of AL after a meeting with the alliance partners.

Jalil, also AL general secretary, reiterated the 14-party alliance’s decision to continue the blockade programme.

The political recruits in the police went used violent force on 14-party activists without provocation all around the country during the 2nd day of their peaceful blockade programme, said Jalil.

The AL leader complained that the politically appointed officers in charge (OC) of police were not removed after repetitive demands.

Jalil accused Deputy Commissioner (DC) of police Kohinur Miah of masterminding yesterday’s attack on demonstrators at Sonargaon intersection in the capital that left one person killed. He demanded immediate punishment of the DC and other police personnel responsible for the attacks on 14-party leaders and activists yesterday.

Although a non-party caretaker government (CG) assumed the office, it has failed to act neutrally. The CG also failed to ensure neutrality in the police, said the 14-party leader.

Jalil alleged the home secretary of keeping the council of advisers in the dark about the decision to deploy army and demanded the home secretary to disclose the name of the person behind the directive. Jalil also demanded the CG to take disciplinary action against the secretary and track down his patrons.

The home secretary must be removed. He has been working in favour of a political party. He conspired to deploy the army to make it controversial and misuse them for political purposes, Jalil explained.

The AL leader was relieved as the conspiracy was not been successful.

Referring to BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan’s announcement that the BNP would declare counter programmes, the AL general secretary questioned Bhuiyan against whom the BNP would declare programmes.

Jalil reiterated that their blockade programme is only to protect the people’s democratic rights.

Bhuiyan has been trying to create chaos in the country by taking a stand against the demand of reconstitution of the Election Commission (EC) and removal of the chief election commissioner (CEC). He has been patronising the CEC to hold a ‘blue-print’ election to return to power, Jalil lashed out.

The AL leader also accused BNP of not letting the president/ chief adviser (CA) functioning effectively.

He demanded immediate separation of the staff of the president and the CA for neutral operation of the CG and urged the CG to hold a free and fair election within the 90 days. He also asked the president to appoint a non-partisan individual as the CA to create a congenial atmosphere if he fails to perform effectively.

To create a neutral environment for a free and fair election, Jalil also demanded immediate removal of Home, Establishment and Cabinet secretaries, cancellation of all contractual appointments, removal of all present DCs, Superintendents of Police (SP), Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNO) and Ocs and replace them with the officials deprived and made OSDs (Officer on Special Duty) by the previous 4-party alliance government.

AL Joint General Secretary Obaidul Quader said the state run Bangladesh Television (BTV) is still running by instructions from Hawa Bhaban — BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s political office. Quader demanded immediate removal of the top officials of BTV to ensure its neutrality.

He also alleged that although the AL President Sheikh Hasina is no more the leader of the opposition, her residence is under strict vigilance of different intelligence agencies and telephone conversations of 14-party leaders including the AL chief is being tapped. Quader demanded telephone conversation tapping to stop.

He also demanded immediate removal of the president’s press secretary for leaking out sensitive information from Bangabhaban and punishment of the corrupt ministers and lawmakers of the last government of the BNP-Jamaat coalition.

Among others, senior 14-party leaders Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed, Suranjit Sengupta, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Rashed Khan Menon, Hasanul Haque Inu, Sultan Mohammad Mansur Ahmed, Bimal Biswas, Pankaj Bhattacharya, Nurul Islam and Dilip Barua were also present at the press briefing.