Bangladesh News

Acting Awami League President Zillur Rahman yesterday called for resisting upazila parishad elections, as the Chief Election Commissioner’s disclosure hit the headlines that the local-body polls will be held on October 23.

The AL leader categorically stated that any other polls before the general elections would not be accepted.

“In no way any other polls before general election will be accepted. We have to resist it,” he told an extended meeting of Mohammadpur-Adabar unit of the party at Mehedi Community Centre at Asad Gate.

Zillur said it would make sense if election to all upazila parishads could be held. This staggered election is “nothing but a farce”.

Demanding withdrawal of the state of emergency, he said emergency cannot be in place for such a long time in an independent country like Bangladesh.

He also demanded unconditional release of AL President Sheikh Hasina, now abroad on parole for treatment.

The extended meeting called for bringing down the prices of essentials within people’s buying capacity, introduction of rationing system and unconditional release of Sheikh Hasina and other AL leaders and withdrawal of “false” cases against them.

Presided over by Mohammadpur Thana AL president Sadeq Khan, the meeting was also addressed, among others, by AL presidium member Tofail Ahmed, organising Secretary Abdul Mannan and Dhaka City AL acting President MA Aziz and acting General Secretary Qamrul Islam.

Tofail demanded lifting of the state of emergency to create atmosphere for the general election. “Awami League is no rival to the caretaker government. Since the caretaker government is running the country as per constitution, there is no need for the emergency,” he said.