The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Acting Awami League president Zillur Rahman has said that he will not only keep the unity of 14-party alliance intact but also will try his level best to ensure best use of this unity for betterment of the nation.

The seasoned politician firmly said that the interim Caretaker Government does not have any ability to stage upazilla elections before holding the national election, as people and his party will not allow it to do so.

He demanded immediate withdrawal of the emergency and to announce date and schedule for national assembly election.

Zillur Rahman was speaking at a discussion meeting on Bangabandhu and Present Scenario of Bangladesh organised by Peshajibi Samonnay Parishad (PSP) marking the death anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The speakers paid rich tributes to the memory of the late national hero who was assassinated along with his family members in a military coup on August 15, 1975.

Acting Jatiya Party chairman Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud, in the meeting, hoped to resist the conspiracy of rehabilitating corrupt politicians of Jamaat-BNP axis unitedly.

Meanwhile, Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal president Hasanul Huq Inu in their speech expressed doubt about Awami League's stance on the 14-party alliance.

In this situation Zillur Rahman said, "Please be sure that I will not only go on with holding the unity of 14-party alliance, but also I will take my best efforts to utilise it."

This was the first comment of the Awami League's acting chief about existence of the 14-party alliance, which became cracked and feeble recently due to a debate on its extension into a grand electoral alliance with inclusion of Jatiya Party and some other semi-Islamist parties.

Zillur Rahman warned the Government against taking any effort to hold local government elections before the national election.

"You came to power for three months only with a duty to stage national election by that time. But you have been continuing for two hours. You are talking much but the national election," he said fingering at the present Caretaker Government.

The Awami League leader cautioned all not to express doubt about holding of the national election by December. "National election in December is a must, for people will force them to hold it," he said. Barrister Annisul Islam Mahmud termed Bangabandhu and his followers as real nationalists. He urged to uphold the spirit of Liberation War.

Rashed Khan Menon said that some foreigner and their local agents are still active to go ahead with their blueprint to constitute a dummy parliament and materialise their schemes.

"Parties will have to clear their position regarding the future of Army in politics," he said and cautioned that any retreat from the 23-point of 14-party would weaken the alliance.

"We are hearing about some consensus behind the stage. This can help one to assuming power. But establishing of democracy will remain far cry," he said.

Hasanul Huq Inu urged Awami League and other political parties to recognise their faults and correct those. "Ethics should get priority over power. Ethics and goal should be basis of any political unity," he said.

Presided over by convenor of PSP Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury the function was also addressed by Awami League presidium member Amir Hossain Amu and its acting general secretary Dr Syed Ashraful Islam, CPB general secretary Mujahidul Islam Selim, Coordinatior of the Sector Commanders Forum Lt Gen (Rtd) Harun, FPSP leaders principal Dr Kamrul Islam Khan, Prof Abul Barkat, journalist Altaf Mahmud, among others.