The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Bikalpadhara Bangladesh secretary general Major (Retd) MA Mannan yesterday said his party would participate in the local body elections scheduled on August 4.

"We want all kinds of election, including the national election, immediately and our party's leaders and activists have been asked to take part in the coming local government elections," he told a press conference at the party office.

Terming the local body election as a test case of the caretaker government, he said: "This should be a great challenge for the government before holding the national election."

Mannan said they want to see a fair and congenial atmosphere in the run up to the election and the government has to create it.

Demanding immediate lifting of the state of emergency, MA Mannan said if they are unable then they should further relax the emergency so that candidates in the election can conduct their election campaign independently.

He said they would propose to the government soon for arranging all party consultation meetings to salvage the country from all crises.

About the hike of fuel prices, he said the government's move to raise 37 percent of the fuel prices was not a right decision. Though fuel prices had increased internationally, purchasing power of the country' s people did not rise even a little bit.

"Sufferings of the people will deepen more by such government move," he added.

Bikalpadhara general secretary said the government should be more active to control spiraling prices of the daily essentials that made public life very difficult.

Referring to various problems like poverty, electricity crisis and traffic jam, he said the government should come up with an effective master plan to solve such problems.

Responding to a question, he said: "Being a citizen of the country, we definitely want trial of war criminals as they are the big criminals than any others."

Asked whether his party would make any coalition in the general election, he said they would forge alliance with the like-minded parties.

The party also announced a 301-member national organizing committee which would be coordinated by its general secretary Major (Retd) MA Mannan.