The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

BNP-led four-party alliance yesterday announced fresh programmes to press home its demands including immediate release of former Prime Minister and BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and medical treatment of her son Tarique Rahman abroad.

The alliance will submit memoranda to the Chief Adviser of the caretaker government from different parts of the country on August 21 and form human chains on August 27 across the country.

After a two hour-long meeting of the alliance's leaders held at the NAM flat, the residence of BNP Secretary General Khondker Delwar the secretary general announced details of the programmes at a press briefing.

He said the alliance demanded of the government to lift of the state of the emergency, hold a free and fair parliament election first, take proper steps to address the prevailing economic crisis, control the prices of essentials during upcoming Ramzan and trial of the corruption cases under the normal law instead of the emergency rule.

It also called for restoring November 07 as the National Revolution and Solidarity Day and declaring May 30 as the national mourning day commemorating the death anniversary of president Ziaur Rahman.

Referring to the Chief Adviser's speech in Chittagong on the release of Khaleda Zia, Delwar hoped that the government would keep its word by releasing Begum Zia immediately.

He, however, warned the government that the people would not allow any dillydallying on the release of Khaleda Zia.

Demanding the trial of the corruption cases under the normal law of the country, he said trial of these cases would not be fair under the emergency rule.

He said his party would observe the birthday of Begum Zia today.

Replying to a question on the 72-hour ultimatum given by the alliance on August 10 on the release of Begum Zia, Delwar said, "We are trying our best to evade any clash with the caretaker government and we cannot take any obstinate decision. We are moving forward gradually. If the government does not meet our demands, the people of the country will take decision."

Delwar further said that they had been able to make people understand that the recently held city corporation and pourashava polls were stage-managed.

Delwar presided over the meeting while BNP Standing Committee members Chowdhury Tanvir Ahmed Siddiqi, BNP leadera Selima Rahman, Nazrul Islam Khan and Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Jamaat Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, Jamaat leaders Abdul Kader Molla, ATM Azharul Islam, Moulana Delwar Hossain Sayedee and Rafiqul Islam Khan, Chairman of Bangladesh Jatiya Party (Naziur) Barrister Andalib Rahman Partha and its Secretary General Shamim Al Mamun, chief of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish Moulana Ishaq and Secretary General of Bangladesh Islami Okyajote Abdul Latif Nizami, among others were present.