The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Awami League (AL) yesterday formally decided to boycott the upazila polls if it is held ahead of the parliamentary elections and planned to place formal request to the Government to arrange the parliamentary polls before the upazila elections.

The decision came out from six-hour long party's central working committee meeting held for consecutive two days at the party's Dhanmondi office.

AL acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam disclosed this information while briefing reporters after the meeting.

The working committee meeting was followed by a meeting of AL presidium members, which was held early yesterday.

Replying to a question he said AL would be compelled to launch tough action programme if the party's demand was not met.

"We will meet with the Chief Adviser (CA) and the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) separately to place our demand formally immediately after August 4, which is scheduled for holding of four city corporations elections", said Ashraf.

"That will be our last endeavour. If even after that the government wants to arrange upazila elections before the parliamentary polls, we will take the right decision. And all concerned are aware of our party decision: no upazila elections before the parliamentary polls," he said.

Though the major political parties are strongly opposing the upazila elections before the parliamentary polls, the election commission has already announced its decision to hold election to 300 of the upazilas on October 23.

When asked by the journalists to clarify their stand on the current controversy over the grand alliance and HM Ershad's Jatiya Party, Ashraful Islam said AL was now busy with its 'ideological' combine, with the 14-party alliance.

About the media reports on the meeting between AL president Sheikh Hasina and Jatiya Party Chairman Ershad in London Ashraful Islam claimed that no meeting was held between the two leaders.

He further said that Hasina also told him that she would have no objection about any decision taken by the AL central body in Dhaka in her absence.

Ashraful Islam also demanded the complete lifting of emergency before all polls.

AL also demanded of the government to implement the High Court verdict, which declared the cancellation of the August 15, National Mourning Day and public holiday.

Syed Ashraful Islam informed the journalists that they had chalked out a month-long programmes to observe the 'August 15, National Mourning Day'.

AL Presidium member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed, Suranjit Sengupta, Matia Chowdhury, among others, were present in the meeting while AL Acting President Zillur Rahman presided over the meeting.