Bangladesh News

The 14-party alliance will resume their indefinite countrywide blockade today to exert greater political leverage and press home their 11-point demand after an inconclusive marathon meeting with President and Chief Adviser (CA) to the Caretaker Government Iajuddin Ahmed late last night.

“We told him (CA) that what is needed to create the platform for a free and fair election is the complete reconstitution of the Election Commission (EC), rescheduling of the election dates after correcting and publishing the voter list,” said Awami League (AL) General Secretary and 14-party alliance coordinator Abdul Jalil after his meeting with the CA and the council of advisers at Bangabhaban last night.

“We will decide on our future programmes as soon as possible if they get back to us after considering our demands,” Jalil added.

Asked about the reaction of the CA and the council of advisers to the caretaker government, Jalil said, “They told us that they would let us know about the demands later on.”

In the meeting with the president/CA, AL President Sheikh Hasina reiterated the 11-point demand of the 14-party alliance, he said.

Earlier, the 14-party alliance cited the resignation of President Iajuddin Ahmed from the post of chief adviser as one of the key demands that needs to be met for the blockade to be withdrawn.

All educational institutions, transports for hajj pilgrims, journalists and students, ambulances, vehicles carrying emergency food, medicine and newspapers have been kept out of the purview of the blockade programme.

AL Joint General Secretary Obaidul Quader told The Daily Star last night that they have duly instructed their leaders and workers in this regard.

Meanwhile, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner AMB Bazlur Rahman in a press note yesterday said the previous bans on carrying oars, poles, sticks, sickles and other firearms and holding rallies and processions on VIP roads still remain effective until further notice.

Around 20,000 members of police, Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) will be deployed in the capital to maintain law and order, DMP sources said.

“We will withdraw the blockade only if the president resigns from the post of chief adviser to the caretaker government and appoints a non-partisan person in the post as per the constitution and meet our several other demands to create a congenial atmosphere for a free and fair election,” Quader said.

The 14-party alliance has been demanding Iajuddin’s resignation from the chief adviser’s post accusing him of repeatedly violating the constitution.

Different political parties, including Jatiya Party, Liberal Democratic Party-led Jatiya Oikya Front and a few other Islamic parties that have also brought the same allegations against the president, will also be on the streets during the blockade, Quader added.

The other demands of the 14-party alliance include reconstitution of the Election Commission (EC) through the removal of “controversial” election commissioners, rescheduling of election dates after correcting and publishing the updated voter list, depoliticisation of the administration and cancellation of 300 “politically appointed” upazila election officers.

The 14-party alliance will enforce the blockade in the capital and all district and upazila headquarters by taking to the streets, occupying all highways, shutting down the ports and preventing rail and water transportation, Quader said.

Talking to The Daily Star, City 14-party Coordinator and City AL General Secretary Mofazzel Hossain Chowdhury Maya said they would set up blockades at 32 strategic points in the capital.

The alliance will also hold rallies and marches in the capital and other parts of the country.

At a preparatory meeting at the AL central office on Bangabandhu Avenue yesterday, 14-party leaders asked the president to meet their demands immediately to create a congenial atmosphere for a free and fair election.

Addressing the meeting, Obaidul Quader said they would participate in the election if the president creates “minimum” congenial atmosphere for a free and fair election through necessary reforms, including EC reconstitution and depoliticisation of the administration.

Referring to Thursday’s mayhem in the High Court, he alleged that former law minister Moudud Ahmed masterminded the whole incident. He accused the chief justice of violating the oath he had taken and the constitution by staying proceedings of their writ petitions and demanded his removal.

Maya also warned the alliance leaders and workers of attacks from the law enforcers and cadres of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.