Bangladesh News

The BNP-led four-party alliance yesterday reiterated its demand for immediate announcement of the schedule for next election, and declared that it would continue its demonstrations across the country until the demand is met.

The alliance will submit a memorandum to the Election Commission EC) today at 11:00am to press home its demand.

“Announce the election schedule without delay and take appropriate measures for holding election,” BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan urged the caretaker government (CG) and the EC at a rally held at Muktangon in the capital.

“We will continue our demonstrations in each thana, district and divisional headquarters until the election schedule is announced,” Bhuiyan told the rally protesting ‘anarchy, killings and terrorist activities’ by the14-party combine.

The rally was staged also as a

political showdown by the four-party during the countrywide blockade enforced by the Awami League (AL)-led 14-party.

Tension gripped Muktangon and adjacent areas as the 14-party also held a rally at nearby Bangabandhu Avenue at the same time.

A large number of police took position between the two rallies to prevent any clash. Though a procession of Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) during the rallies added to tension, police acted promptly to avert any untoward incident.

Amid tightened security, thousands of leaders, activists and supporters of four-party joined the rally. Activists of Jamaat- e- Islami and its student wing Shibir were seen carrying hockey sticks and other ticks.

“We (four-party) will not sit idle if we are attacked, but we will respond in the same way,” Bhuiyan said without specifying who might attack them.

Criticising the 14-party combine, the former LGRD minister who was the chief guest at the rally, said the AL wants to foil the next election as it knows it cannot win.

On EC reconstitution, he said, “We will accept anything if that is within the constitutional framework. We want to save all such institutions.”

He alleged the AL is trying to destroy all institutions in the country.

He cautioned the people that “Democracy, economy and even independence will be at stake if they (AL) comes to power again.”

BNP Standing Committee member Moudud Ahmed said the CG must act as per the constitution regarding reconstitution of the EC.

Mayor of Dhaka and city BNP President Sadeque Hossain Khoka, who chaired the rally, said, ” We only want election quickly, no matter who is chief election commissioner.”

Jamaat Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mujahid demanded said election schedule must be announced without further delay.

Other speakers included Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy and Aman Ullah Aman of BNP, Bangladesh Jatiya Party leader Golam Mostafa, Islami Oikya Jote leaders Abdul Latif Nezami and Ahmad Abdul Quader.