The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Awami League is planning to form a grand alliance with democratic, progressive and pro-liberation fronts ahead of the parliamentary elections.

"Not only the 14 parties, Awami League is trying to form even a greater alliance involving others ahead of the elections and for this it'll contact the leaders of its allies and like-minded parties," acting AL president Zillur Rahman said.

He was talking to reporters as leaders of Krishak League, the farmers' wing of the party, met him at his Gulshan house yesterday.

The AL leader renewed the demand that the stalled parliamentary elections be held by March-April. "The Chief Election Commissioner said that the Election Commission might announce the election schedule in September…if it's so then it's not possible to conclude the election process by 2008," Zillur said adding that it would rather create a crisis.

He said the incumbent caretaker government must hand over power by holding polls within 2008 as it pledged earlier.

"The government has no way to transfer power other than holding a free and neutral election," Zillur said adding that handing over power to an elected government holding the election without delay is good for all.

Referring to the High Court verdict quashing the entire trial proceedings of the extortion case against former premier Sheikh Hasina under the Emergency Power Rules, Zillur hoped that the Appellate Division would uphold the High Court judgment.

Al leaders Abdul Mannan and Dr Abdur Razzak and Krishak League leaders Mirza MA Jalil, Mothaher Hossain Mollah and Engineer Shakawat Hossain were, among others, present at the programme.

Earlier, Awami League's Faridpur district unit handed over Tk 50,000 to Zillur Rahman for the party's relief fund to use it for Sidr victims.