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Download PDF The Awami League (AL) Presidium members are still divided over the issue of freeing Sheikh Hasina before the elections.
Sources in the AL said there are two factions and stances among the AL presidium members. One faction wants to take part in the elections with an aim to assume power and free Hasina afterwards while the other faction does not want to participate in any elections with Hasina detained. They want to get the AL chief freed through agitation programmes first and then think about participating in elections.
The current stance of the AL Presidium, highest policy making body of the party, and the AL Central Working Committee (ALCWC) is to take part in the elections under the leadership of a freed Hasina. However, the two bodies did not decide on what would happen if Hasina was not freed before the elections.
AL acting President Zillur Rahman has been saying for the last few days that the party would not take part in any elections with Hasina under detention.
A number of the party’s senior leaders think that it is not the time to make such a firm statement that could foil the electoral process.
“This is not the time to make such strong statements as it will only make him [Zillur] popular among the party workers but the party would not be befitted,” observed an AL central leader.
AL Organising Secretary Abdul Mannan said, “We want to take part in the elections with her [Hasina]… we demand her unconditional release before the elections.”
“But, voices in favour of no elections without her freedom are getting stronger,” he told The Daily Star.
A number of AL leaders said they are confused about the path the party is taking ahead of the elections and they do not know yet what the party’s stance is regarding Hasina’s freedom and the elections.
They said they would raise the issue of which path the party would take ahead of the elections at the ALCWC meeting scheduled for May 13.
The AL chief had instructed party leaders to participate in the elections even if she is detained or barred from taking part in the elections so that no unelected people could remain in power for long.
Sources said one faction of the AL backed by some of the influential leaders has been mobilising party leaders for taking part in the elections even if the party chief remained captive.
AL central leader Col (retd) Faruk Khan said, “I believe she [Hasina] would be freed to lead us in the elections.”
Talking to The Daily Star, Motia Chowdhury, one of the presidium members of the party, admitted that there are different opinions and ideas within the party. She claimed they would not face a large problem to reach a final consensus on the issue.
ZILLUR’S BRIEFING
Zillur Rahman talking to reporters yesterday at his Gulshan home after a views-exchange meeting with leaders of Motor Drivers’ League said, “There would be no elections in the country without her [Hasina]. We would not allow any elections to be held without her. Time will come when we will take part in the polls under her leadership.”
He said their prime issue for discussion in the official dialogue with the caretaker government would be the release of the AL chief.
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