Bangladesh News

Most of the top level policy makers of Awami League (AL) yesterday took a strong stance against participating in the upcoming parliamentary election under the caretaker government (CG) led by Iajuddin Ahmed, while a small group of leaders wanted to negotiate further for finding out a solution to the electoral crisis.

The minority group wants to negotiate sending of Election Commissioners SM Zakaria and Modabbir Hossain on leaves of absence to pave their way to the election, which they are ready to consider as a victory.

But the majority of policy makers feel that sending only the two controversial commissioners on leaves will not adequately reconstitute the Election Commission as a neutral institute.

Moreover, they feel that there is no assurance that Iajuddin will not keep acting as a ‘partisan of BNP-Jammat alliance’ since he already proved himself, in every step of the way so far, as ‘biased towards the immediate past ruling alliance’. They also feel that if AL goes to election now then the four resigned advisers’ statement that the current situation is not conducive to holding a fair election, will be rendered unsubstantiated.

Following the resignations of the four erstwhile advisers to the CG and appointments of four new advisers, the CG has now turned into a ‘complete’ partisan government, said the leaders of the majority group expressing their firm determination not to take part in the next election under a government led by the current chief adviser.

“The chief adviser is the main obstacle to creating a congenial atmosphere for a free and fair election. Without his resignation from the post no fair election can be held in the country,” said Abdul Jalil, general secretary of AL, at a news briefing following a presidium meeting of the party in its Dhanmondi office in the capital.

AL decided to form a common platform with its allies Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)-led Jatiya Oikyo Front, Jatiya party (Ershad), Zaker Party, Islami Oikyo Jote, Islami Oikyo Front and several other political parties.

The presidium meeting also decided to forge a united one-point movement demanding resignation of the CA within a few days. Sources said the announcement on whether they will participate in the election and the prospective one-point movement is likely to come from a grand rally soon.

AL-led 14-party coalition, LDP and different other allied parties held a series of emergency meetings in the last few days to reach a consensus over the matter.

The AL presidium held an emergency meeting in AL President Sheikh Hasina’s Sudha Sadan residence on Monday night following the resignations of the four advisers. The meeting was adjourned until yesterday evening, when they sat again at the same venue to finalise strategies.

The meeting however failed to reach a unanimous decision of not to participate in any election under Iajuddin Ahmed, and decided instead to discuss the issue with the central working committee, and with the leaders of all front organisations and district and upazila level units of the party.

Sources said Adviser to the AL Chief Salman F Rahman, and Presidium Member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim took a stand against refraining from the election.

The meeting was highly critical of the CA’s hurried move to appoint four new advisers. The meeting observed that Iajuddin appointed ‘completely’ partisan persons as new advisers.

Talking to the Daily Star AL Joint General Secretary Obaidul Quader said the CA has blocked all the ways of holding a free and fair election in the country. So no election can be held under his leadership, he firmly said adding that there is no alternative to resignation of the CA before holding of any fair poll in the country.

At the news briefing Jalil announced programmes of laying siege to all district and upazila election offices tomorrow to press home the demand for a corrected voter list.