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Download PDF Amid a countrywide state of emergency and a ban on indoor politics all over except in the capital, Awami League’s (AL) district unit leaders find themselves confused about how to go on an announced token hunger strike on April 29 in all 64 districts, demanding release of their detained party chief Sheikh Hasina.
Although AL presidium, the highest policy making body of the party, on Wednesday announced the protest programme to be observed countrywide including in the capital, its district unit leaders have yet to be informed about it officially or even verbally.
Talking to The Daily Star, a number of district unit leaders said they are confused and lack preparations to go on a hunger strike, as they have not received any official or verbal instruction from central leaders regarding the token protest despite the ban on indoor politics there.
“We are confused and in a tough crisis,” said Rames Chandra Sen, president of Thakurgoan district unit AL. He told The Daily Star that they do not know where they will gather for the programme amid the ban on political activities.
Many local leaders said they do not have the organisational strength to demonstrate under the state of emergency. They said they came to know about the programme from news reports and have taken no preparation yet to hold the protest programme under the state of emergency.
They said they are planning to seek permissions from local administrations for the programme in district headquarters. But highly placed sources said the government has yet to take any decision regarding allowing AL to protest at district levels.
“We will apply to the local administration seeking permission to hold the programme, if they allow us we will hold it,” said ANM Shafiqul Haque, Sylhet district unit president of AL, adding that they however have yet to take any preparation for the protest.
But several district level leaders said they will talk to both district and central leaders in a day or two to figure out a way for holding the programme.
“As there is a ban on indoor politics, we are discussing among us to figure out a way to observe the programme without violating the state of emergency,” said Maj Gen (retd) AMSA Amin, president of Kurigram district unit.
Bagerhat district unit General Secretary Sheikh Qamruzzaman Tuku and Dinajpur district unit General Secretary Advocate Mostafizur Rahman said they have yet to decide whether to observe the programme, as none instructed them about it.
“We haven’t been informed either officially or verbally about the programme. We have learnt about it through newspapers,” said Rahman.
Lalmonirhat district unit AL leader Nazrul Haque Patwari said, “It will be very tough to observe the programme here.”
“When we can’t even open the office, how are we to observe the programme under the emergency?” asked Feni district unit General Secretary Abdur Rahman.
Barguna district unit General Secretary Jahangir Kabir said he thinks the local administration will not allow them to hold such a political protest under the emergency.
He said they will contact the central leaders seeking guidelines within a day or two.
However, Meherpur district unit President Mohammad Joynal Abedin said they will go on a hunger strike in front of the deputy commissioner’s office. He said they will not take part in the upcoming parliamentary election with Hasina in detention.
AL insiders said the AL presidium under pressure from the party’s different front organisations announced the token strike programme across the country with a demand for the party chief’s release.
Over the last several days, AL’s front organisations have been pressuring the party’s central leadership to launch a one-point all out movement to get Hasina freed.
Similar pressure is also there on AL from grassroots level leaders.
“Sheikh Hasina’s release is our sole demand. The party can’t take part in any election with her in jail,” president of Jubo League, AL’s youth front, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, told The Daily Star over the phone.
He however said they already instructed local leaders to observe the token hunger strike to press home the demand.
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