Bangladesh News

Awami League (AL) yesterday said the ongoing dialogue and upcoming election could not be held in a meaningful way as the caretaker government has complicated the situation through “arresting, torturing and repressing” its leaders across the country.

At a secretary-level meeting, AL asked the government to stop the crackdown and demanded immediate release of those who have been detained.

The meeting was held at party chief Sheikh Hasina’s political office in Dhanmondi with AL Acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam in the chair.

“Without any reason, a good number of our party leaders and workers have been arrested. These arrests have been made to complicate the prevailing situation and in this situation, it is not possible to hold dialogue and election meaningfully,” Syed Ashraful Islam told reporters after the meeting.

Replying a query on whether the AL will form an alliance with the BNP following Khaleda Zia’s call for an all-party unity, the AL leader rejected the idea and said that as a secular political party, AL would never go for any coalition with the “fundamental and radical” BNP and Jamaat.

“There will never be any unity with them as they are solely responsible for the current situation. Their widespread corruption, politicisation and misrule during 2001-2006 led to 1/11,” Ashraf said.

The meeting also decided to send forms and instructions to the party’s district, upazila, thana and union levels by tomorrow for the mass signature collection to press home the party’s six-point demand, including the release of Hasina.