The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The heckling of senior leaders by Hasina loyalists in front of Dhanmondi office of the Awami League before and after a meeting of the Central Working Commitee on Wednesday appeared to have widened the gap between the reformist and anti-reformist leaders even further.

Party sources yesterday said senior reformist leaders questioned party Acting President Zillur Rahman, who is leading the anti-reformist group, as to why he did take action immediately when the crowd was still there and calling them names in a chorus.

Some senior leaders, including Presidium member Tofail Ahmed, Acting General Secretary Mukul Bose, Organising Secretaries Saber Hossain Chowdhury and Abdul Mannan and former MP AKM Jahangir, were reportedly mobbed on their way to and from the meeting by supporters of the imprisoned party President Sheikh Hasina.

Hasina loyalists chanted slogans against them, for what they said the reformists' atempt to remove the Awami League (AL) President from the leadership of the party. The reformist leaders learnt to have lodged protest to Zillur Rahman over telephone Wednesday evening and demanded an enquiry into the incident

They wanted to know as to why those young men were mobilised before the meeting of the available members of the Central Working Commitee (ALCWC), which was only meant for the

They further wanted to know who mobilised them and why he did not direct anti-reformist Presidium members Sayeda Sajeda Chowdhury and Begum Matia Chowdhury to disperse the crowds since he was ailing.

Zillur Rahman pleaded his ignorance while pacifying his angry colleagues.

Acting AL President Zillur Rahman and Acting General Secretary Mukul Bose, who is a front ranking reformist, yesterday addressed separate press conferences to condemn Wednesday's incident, apparently exposing their differences once again.

This was the first separate press briefing by Mukul Bose after the arrest of party President Sheikh Hasina on July 16.

Zillur Rahman in his press conference, at his Gulshan residence in the afternoon, condemned Wednesday's incident saying it was "unwarranted".

Also terming the incident unfortunate, he said, "It (incident) was orchestrated to create confusion in the party."

"Some disgruntled and unknown people staged the incident while some party leaders entered and left the party office," he said.

Zillur Rahman said inquiry would be conducted and disciplinary action taken if any person from the party was found involved in it

"Any conflict only weakens the party. All Awami League members will have to be alert and remain united against such conspiracy."

Admiting that they are passing a "difficult time" and there are some misunderstandings among the party leaders, Zillur Rahman said, "The party

is united on the question of freeing Sheikh Hasina from detention."

Party Acting General Secretary Mukul Bose, who was among the roughed up leaders, alleged, "Those who want to split the Awami League have done it in a planned manner."

He said, "The Wednesday's incident was not only unwarranted it was actually a planned conspiracy to divide the Awami League."

"A conspiracy might have been hatched to divide Awami League… Those

who were linked with the incident do not want the release of Sheikh

Hasina," he told a press conference held at party leader Prof Abu Sayeed's Dhanmondi residence.

Mukul Bose said, "The AL remains united and the incident was orchestrated to destroy its unity. We will take action against those responsible for the incident after Acting President Zillur Rahman recovers from his illness," he added.

AL leader Prof Abu Sayeed said the conspirators abused senior leaders to 'destroy the image of the party and Sheikh Hasina.'

He said all the AL leaders want the immediate release of Sheikh Hasina and 'those who do not want her release abused the party leaders.'

It may be mentioned here that the AL leadership virtually split into two groups in mid April when three of its Presidium members-Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed and Suranjit Sengupta -announced identical proposals separately to reform the party, apparently to remove Sheikh Hasina as party chief.