The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff reporter

Awami League (AL) Acting President Zillur Rahman yesterday demanded the implementation of the High Court verdict, which restored August 15 as the National Mourning Day and public holiday by August 31 this year.

Zillur placed this demand while addressing the leaders and activists at a discussion meeting at the party's central office to commemorate August 15, the day Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur was killed.

He said, "The ill-motivated section, who were the masterminds of killing Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, are active till now to kill Sheikh Hasina, as the criminals has not yet been punished."

He demanded implementation of the verdict of hanging of the criminals who were involved in the killing.

Demanding the holding of parliamentary election ahead of the upazila polls Zillur urged the Government to suspend the schedule for the uapzila election immediately to save the country from moving towards an anarchic situation.

He also demanded the complete lifting of emergency before all polls, as no fair and credible poll is possible under the state of emergency.

"The Government is engaged in harassing Sheikh Hasina to spoil her political life by keeping her behind the bars so that she become detached from the people. But the people of the country will never accept this conspiracy and AL will never participate in the national election without Sheikh Hasina", Zillur noted.

Expressing solidarity with Zillur Rahman AL presidium member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury demanded punishment of criminals of Bangabandhu murder case as well as Jail murder case, for which Bangladesh lost four veteran national leaders.

She also warned that AL would be compelled to launch vigorous movement, if the Government does not implement the High Court order of restoring August 15 as National Mourning Day and a public holiday.

AL presidium member Amir Hossain Amu said, "If the Government believe in rule of law, they will implement the High Court order immediately, as Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the pioneer of the Liberation War."

He also blamed Ziaur Rahman for amendment the constitution to convert Bangladesh into an Islamic Country from a non-communal state, which patronised the fundamentalists to run their activities without fear.

Another AL presidium member Tofail Ahmed urged the Government not to stand against public opinion for holding the parliamentary polls first.

AL presidium member Motia Chowdhury said that it was a great shame for the nation that the countrymen could not show gratitude to a person who had led the nation to freedom from the Pakistani autocratic rule.

"The Government must implement the High Court order to show proper respect to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mubibur Rahman', she pointed out.

AL acting general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam emphasised on making the party's front organisations stronger for restoring democracy in the country.

AL central Joint Secretary Mukul bosh, Organising secretary Mahamudur, among others, spoke at the meeting.