The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Awami League Presidium members yesterday urged the Government and the Election Commission (EC) not to push the country towards uncertainty and anarchic situation by holding the upazila polls ahead of the parliamentary election.

They also asked the Government to make preparations for holding the national election by December as per the polls roadmap.

The AL leaders made this comment while addressing a meeting organised by Bangabandhu Textiles Engineers Association in observance of its 7th founding anniversary at the Diploma Engineers Institutions auditorium yesterday.

AL acting president Zillur Rahman said, "The country is now under threat. All the democratic forces will have to forge unity to overcome this problem.

He assured that if AL returns to power, the Textile Engineering College would be converted into a university.

He also expressed his satisfaction with the High Court ruling, which restored August 15 as the National Mourning Day and a public holiday.

AL presidium member Amir Hossain Amu urged the Government not to try to create disorder in the country so that the people are compelled to launch a mass movement and added, "People shed enough blood in political movements in the past for restoring democracy in the country."

He also suggested dropping the idea of holding the upazila election before the national election for the sake of stability in the country.

AL presidium member Abdur Razzak warned that no ill-motivated quarters would be able to resist AL by political harassment.

He vowed to secure unconditional release of party chief Sheikh Hasina before the national polls.

Another AL presidium member Tofail Ahmed said that the people of the country would never accept the upazila election before the national election.

He also demanded complete withdrawal of emergency, as no poll is possible under the state of emergency.

He also urged the leaders and activists to take oath to boycott polls without Sheikh Hasina and under emergency rule.

Shafiqur Rahman, president of Bangabandhu Textile Engineers Association, presided over the meeting, which was attended by a number of textile engineers.