Bangladesh News

Awami League (AL) yesterday said if “champions of corruption” are released, the government has no moral or legal right to keep detained the leaders and workers of other parties arrested on “so-called” corruption charges.

Acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam came up with the criticism after party’s presidium meeting held at acting AL President Zillur rahman’s Gulshan residence, as the party apparently took exception to bail granted last week to top BNP leaders and their former lawmakers in graft cases.

He questioned the meeting of BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain and Jamaat Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid with BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at the makeshift jail in the parliament-building complex on Thursday.

“How can an alliance meeting take place in jail?” he asked the caretaker government, saying there is no such instance anywhere in the world.

Ashraful condemned the government decision allowing the meeting to take place “in violation of all rules”.

He pointed out that BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar used to blame Awami League for entente with the caretaker government. But, he said, “Now it is proved that BNP and Jamaat have made an underhand deal with this government”.

The AL leader observed that the anti-corruption drive of the interim government was virtually eyewash to bring Awami League with “corrupt BNP” to the same level.

On the question of amending AL constitution for the party’s registration with the Election Commission under the electoral rules, he said to amend the party constitution they need to convene council session. But it is not possible for a big party like Awami League to hold the council under the state of emergency.

On the other hand, if the party constitution is not amended, Awami League will not be able to get registered with the commission, he said about the difficult situation they are facing.

The Election Commission has given the parties up to October 15 to apply for the registration while set October 30 as the last date for finalising the task, making it mandatory for participating in the December general election under provisions of the amended Representation of People Order (RPO).

Chaired by Zillur Rahman, the meeting was attended, among others, AL presidium members Amir Hossain Amu, Suranjit Sengupta and Motia Chowdhury.