Bangladesh News

The Awami League-led 14-party alliance yesterday asked the caretaker government (CG) to implement their demands including reconstitution of the Election Commission (EC), removal of the chief election commissioner (CEC) and three election commissioners within the 48 hours time as per the CG’s assurance to resolve the crisis.

“The blockade programme will continue until the EC is reconstituted with the removal of CEC MA Aziz and the three election commissioners,” 14-party Coordinator Abdul Jalil told newsmen at a press briefing at his Gulshan residence in the capital.

Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina in a statement asked the President and Chief Adviser (CA) to the Caretaker Government Prof Iajuddin Ahmed to fulfil people’s demand for reconstitution of the EC immediately by removing the CEC and Election Commissioner SM Zakaria and create a congenial atmosphere for a free and fair election.

“If the chief adviser wastes time in implementing the demands, the ongoing blockade programme will turn into a popular insurrection,” Hasina said their blockade programme would continue until their 11-point demand is met.

The AL chief also accused the BNP-Jamaat alliance has been conspiring to create anarchy in the country in a bid to foil the upcoming elections sensing the removal of their loyal CEC and other election commissioners will cost them the victory in polls.

At the press briefing, Jalil, who is also the AL general secretary, demanded immediate withdrawal of 300 upazila election officer’s postings and corrections made in the voter list in order to create a neutral ground for a free and fair election.

Claiming the country is heading towards a popular insurrection for the EC reconstitution demand, the AL leader said their ongoing movement would only end by restoring people’s right to vote to form a people’s government.

Jalil said apart from the BNP-Jamaat alliance, all other political parties, donor agencies, foreign diplomats and international communities want reconstitution of the EC, so that, the next election could be held in a free and fair manner.

Referring to the BNP chairperson’s demand for announcement of election schedule without delay, Jalil said sensing a certain debacle in the upcoming elections, the BNP-Jamaat alliance wants quick declaration of election schedule so that they can make arrangements for their plan to rig the election.

All the political parties and the people of Bangladesh are united, they would not allow any rigged elections be held in the country, Jalil stated.

He said the BNP-Jamaat alliance has resorted to conspiracies as a congenial atmosphere for a free and fair election is being created.

The AL leader alleged the Hawa Bhaban, an office of the BNP, has brought identified terrorists to the capital to attack 14-party rallies and create anarchy in the country.

Claiming notorious criminal Subrata Bain was released on Hawa Bhaban’s request after he was arrested at a city hotel recently, Jalil demanded immediate investigation into the matter.

He also accused “Hawa Bhaban godfathers Ilias Ali and Gias Uddin Al Mamun” of conspiring to attack four-party rallies so that the 14-party alliance could be blamed for the attacks.

Referring to attacks on minority communities in different southern districts, Jalil demanded the president to take immediate actions to stop attacks and harassments of minorities. He also demanded security for the minority community during the elections.

Jalil protested against a news item on newspapers about the AL submitting a list of 829 officials to the establishment secretary. He said they have not submitted any list and those who placed the list in the name of AL are not involved AL at all. They placed the list only to mislead people and the AL has no relation with these people, he claimed.

AL Leader Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed, Suranjit Sengupta, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Obaidul Quader, Rashed Khan Menon, Hasanul Haque Inu, Aktheruzzaman, Bimal Biswas, Pankaj Bhattacharya, Nurul Islam and Dilip Barua were also present in the briefing.

Meanwhile, as part of the AL’s campaign for electoral reforms, a delegation of AL leaders led by former finance minister AMA Muhit met Adviser to the Caretaker Government Shafi Sami yesterday. The delegation discussed key reforms issues with the adviser.

AL leaders Asaduzzaman Noor, Farruk Ahmed Chowdhury, HT Imam and M Mokammel Haque were members of the delegation.