The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Leaders of a faction of Workers Party of Bangladesh have demanded of the caretaker government to publish a white paper on their last 16 months' rule to ensure transparency and accountability about which they are always so vocal.

The demand was made at a press conference at the party office in the city yesterday noon to express their reaction on the Chief Adviser's address to the nation.

Terming the Chief Adviser's recent address to the nation as frustrating, party general secretary Saiful Huq said formulating national charter, mentioned by the Chief Adviser in his address on May 12, is an "alarming signal" for the nation.

"The undemocratic caretaker government has no legality to take the initiative of formulating national charter as it is a very sensitive issue. The elected representative government can only decide to do so, if necessary," he said.

Huq was critical of the initiative of the interim caretaker government that wanted to fix the way of the country's future democracy. "They don't know the country's democracy and peace loving people does not accept it," he said.

He said the Chief Adviser's address to the nation had frustrated the people as there was no specific direction on price-hike of essentials, on food security assurance, government-announced women development policy and even on making level playing fields for holding fair general election.

The Workers Party leaders also placed several demands for holding free, fair and acceptable parliamentary election.

The demands include ensuring democratic right of people by immediately lifting emergency across the country, the government must avoid all the revealed and unrevealed political agendas in holding dialogue, cancellation of all undemocratic conditions imposed on indoor politics, ensuring freedom of media, disqualifying the war criminals, terrorists, corrupt suspects and black money holders from participating in election, and to do away with the government's double standard policy immediately.

Among others, party president Khandoker Ali Abbas, central committee members Bohni Shikha Jamali and Habibul Islam were present.