The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Gano Forum president Dr Kamal Hossain yesterday said the state of emergency should be withdrawn gradually for holding a fair and credible election not all of a sudden.

He said this to journalists at one stage of a meeting with the Communist Party of Bangladesh at his residence at Baily Road in the city.

Dr Kamal said, "Our past experience says that withdrawing emergency at once will not be good for the country so it should be withdrawn stage by stage relaxing its provisions gradually."

Dr Kamal said the election of 2008 would bring a meaningful change in the country's politics and people's fate.

"We have been vocal against corruption, terrorism and nepotism in the past and now we are working together to hold a fair election" he said.

About Sheikh Hasina's claim that he deviated from his principle by being an advocate against BNP he made, "no comment."

CPB president Manjurul Ahsan Khan said, "Any wrong step of the caretaker government would lead the nation to a disastrous situation."

"If the elections could not be held according to the roadmap it would be suicidal," the CPB president said.

He said the CPB would also hold talks with other like-minded parties and added that they were neither a part of the 14-party alliance nor would they join it.

He urged for dialogue within the parties and between the parties.

Gano Forum acting general secretary Adv Subrata Chowdhury, organising secretary Mostafa Mohshin Mantu, presidium member Pankaj Bhattcharya, CPB general secretary Mujahidul Islam Selim, Ruhin Hossain Prince, Ahsan Habib Lavlu and Dhaka University professor Dr MM Akash, among others, were present at the meeting.