The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Awami League leadership on Sunday said the incumbent caretaker government is 'isolated from the people' and alleged that the country is now on the way to ruination through the activities of this government.

"There is no alternative to elected government… only an elected government can solve all the existing crises of the country. This government cannot deliver because it is isolated from the people," AL senior presidium member Amir Hossain Amu said. He asked the government to hold the parliamentary election first after freeing detained party chief Sheikh Hasina.

Amu was addressing an extension meeting of Awami Jubo League, the youth front of the party, presided over by its acting Chairman Dr Mijanur Rahman at its Bangabandhu Avenue office. Another presidium member Abdur Razzaq said that AL is now observing peaceful programmes like hunger strike and signature campaign, but the party would go for a strong movement to meet their five-point demands including unconditional release of Sheikh Hasina. "We will unite people through launching a movement and free our leader.

We will participate in the parliamentary election after freeing her," he said and warned the government that the party would not accept any election ahead of the parliamentary elections.

AL presidium member Tofael Ahmed said that if Sheikh Hasina is not freed the party would go for a tough movement to free her.

"Our street movement would be turned into a mass upsurge to realize our five-point demands, but we don't want to go for that," he said, urging the government to release Sheikh Hasina before going for street agitation.

Tofael said they don't want any elections prior to the parliamentary polls and Sheikh Hasina's release is essential to make the parliamentary polls acceptable.

Jubo League leaders at the meeting assured the top AL leaders that they would do everything according to the direction of the central leaders to make their countrywide token hunger strike programme scheduled on April 29 a success.