AL’s poll allies meet amid WP frustration

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Key leaders of Awami League (AL)-led grand alliance sat together yesterday, after a break of about 20 months, in a bid to revive it to contest in the upcoming parliamentary election as a mega electoral coalition.

The leaders vowed to work to strengthen the unity of pro-liberation war forces to face BNP-Jamaat-led four-party alliance in the December 18 national poll.

The grand electoral alliance had been formed ahead of the stalled January 22, 2007 election to compete against BNP-Jamaat-led four-party alliance, and the last time its leaders sat together was at a grand rally in Paltan Maidan, a day before the state of emergency was promulgated in the country.

“We have gathered together in a bid to start fighting unitedly against the evil forces that destroyed the country during their five-year in the government,” said Jatiya Party (JP) Chairman HM Ershad yesterday, alluding to the immediate past four-party alliance regime.

“We are still in the grand alliance and it will be expanded. The grand alliance will win the next election. Victory is a must for humane forces,” said Bikalpadhara Bangladesh (BDB) President AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury during an iftar organised by AL in the capital.

Workers Party and Gono Forum however expressed their opposition to forming any coalition with JP (Ershad) calling its president an autocrat, and also with Islamist parties.

Talking to reporters AL Acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam said 14-party is their core coalition and they will take a decision regarding revival of the grand alliance after consulting their 14-party partners following return of their President Sheikh Hasina from abroad.

He also said the grand alliance is likely to be expanded if revived.

Leaders of the components of AL-led 14-party coalition, of JP (Ershad), BDB, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), JP (Manju), Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ), and Islamic Front Bangladesh (IFB) attended the iftar in a community centre.

Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique, Prof Harun-or-Rashid, Salma Islam, Jaglul Ahmed Chowdhury, and Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury also attended the iftar among other civil society members.

LDP leader Sheikh Razzak Ali also a former speaker of the parliament said they joined the iftar as they still belong to the grand alliance.

Senior AL leaders led by Presidium Member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury and Acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam welcomed the grand alliance leaders.

But AL Acting President Zillur Rahman was not present, as according to his party colleagues, he had to attend another iftar with AL leaders in his electoral constituency Bhairab-Kuliarchar of Kishoreganj.

Sajeda said their party will move forward with all who are pro-liberation war, democratic and secular.

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) President Hasanul Haque Inu said everything must be done to keep BNP-Jamaat-led forces out of power. The left political leader however said JP is no more against the principles of 14-party coalition.

JP (Manju) Secretary General Sheikh Shahidul Islam said they will always be with pro-liberation war forces.

Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon said they want unity among secular democratic forces.

Earlier at a media conference in his party office, he said they will not form any electoral alliance if fundamentalist, communal or autocratic forces including Ershad’s JP are included.

He also said the mega alliance is still a mere idea. He however added that they will talk to AL about the matter.

JP leaders Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud and Ziuddin Ahmed Bablu, LDP leader Prof Jahanara Begum, BDB leaders Maj (retd) MA Mannan and Mahi B Chowdhury, Gono Forum leader Pankaj Bhattacharya, IOJ Chairman Misbaur Rahman, IFB Chairman Syed Bahadur Shah, National Awami Party leader MA Gani, and Communist Kendra leader Asit Baran Roy also attended the iftar among other grand alliance leaders.

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