The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Awami League's countrywide hunger strike, scheduled to be staged before April 20, to press for its 5-point demand including release of party chief Sheikh Hasina, will be delayed by some days.

The central working committee of Awami League took the decision to delay the hunger strike at its meeting on March 29 to mount pressure on the caretaker government to announce the election schedule, contain record high prices of essentials, ensure Hasina's treatment abroad, try war criminals and improve the law and order situation.

Asked why the planned hunger strike gets delayed, a party presidium member told UNB that their front wings are observing token hunger strikes almost everyday. On completion of their programmes, he said, Awami League would go ahead with the scheduled hunger strike.

"Earlier, we had thought the government would lift the ban on indoor politics but it has not been done…We'll carry out our programme with the lifting of the ban," he said adding it would be arranged soon.

Sources said some senior party leaders are not interested in launching any kind of movement before the formal dialogue between the government and the parties as they hope every unsettled issue would be resolved during the dialogue.

AL central committee member Abdul Latif Siddique told UNB that the central leadership is hesitating to launch a movement at this point of time.

"But, we and the people want a systematic movement for the release of our party chief Sheikh Hasina."

He said as the country is passing through a suffocating situation and Sheikh Hasina's leadership could only salvage the country.

Latif urged the party's key leaders to launch a movement by not wasting time any more.