The New Nation - Internet Edition

Awami League Acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam yesterday hoped that the provisional release of former Prime Minister and party chief Sheikh Hasina would turn into the permanent release to assist the party to participate in the National election.

He disclosed his anticipation while talking to the reporters coming out from the meeting with the British High Commissioner Duncan Norman in presence of Awami League Acting president Zillur Rahman at Gulshan residence in afternoon.

Ashraful said, “ The government hold the power to withdraw all the case filed against Sheikh Hasina, as these were filed from political motivation. The government is suffering from guilty feelings for detaining Sheikh Hasina in a fake graft case and they want to get rid of this feelings through making Sheikh Hasina free.”

Asked the party’s preparation for the upcoming National election he said, “the ultimate goal of a political party is to participate in the election. An unrest situation was prevailing in the country, but the Government has taken initiatives to end the political deadlock by releasing Sheikh Hasina. We are taking preparation to participate in the poll under the leadership of sheikh Hasina.”

Replying to a question Ashraful said, “ we talked about polls and poll related issues including voter list and boundary re-fixing with the advisers.”

About the discussion between Sheikh Hasina and Chief Adviser Dr Fakaruddin Ahmed through telephone Ashraful said, “ our party chief requested the Chief Adviser to create a affable atmosphere ahead of the next election to restore democracy in the country.

He told the reporters that Sheikh Hasina, during the telephone talks with the Chief Adviser, discussed whether the election date could be advanced.

He further said,“ The participation of all the political parties is must to make the ongoing dialogue and the upcoming national election fruitful. So the government should take initiative to involve all the political parties in these procedures.”

“Among six-point demand one has been met partially. We will continue the signature campaign across the country and submit this report in all the district commissioner offices”, he pointed out.

He also demanded further investigation into the August 21 grenade attack to find out the masterminds of the dreadful attack and the persons who tried to misguide the investigators.

About the involvement of a Former State Minister of BNP-Jamaat Government in this massive attack Ashraful said, “ this does not confirm the involvement of whole body of BNP-Jamaat government in this attack but it proves that a part of the BNP-Jamaat Government was involved.”

Talking to the journalists, Acting British High Commissioner Duncan Norman said they discussed about the recent political development in Bangladesh and issues relating to the next election at the meeting.

Duncan said they are hopeful that the National election would be held by the end of this year, as the voter list and other poll related job have almost been completed and all the political parties are committed to hold the election thorough a fair and credible mood.

He also said, “ on behalf of the British Government I always encourage the political parties to go through a consensus to hold a free and fair National election.