The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Awami Legaue (AL) Acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam yesterday demanded holding of the parliamentary election in November as the process of drafting of voter list will be completed by September.

He urged the Government and the Election Commission (EC) to arrange upazila elections in December after the national election.

He was briefing the reporters after two days of hectic meeting of Awami League Central Working Committee (ALCWC) at the party's Dhanmondi office, which was adjourned on Sunday.

"We demand immediate and unconditional release of party chief Sheikh Hasina and withdrawal of all the false and fabricated cases filed against her as well as other AL leaders before the national election," Ashraful said.

He expressed his party's firm stand to participate in the national election only under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina and boycott the election without her unconditional release.

Demanding the complete withdrawal of emergency before the national election he said, "the general election will not be acceptable to the people of the country as well as the international community under the state of emergency."

The Caretaker Government and the EC are obligated to arrange the national election as per the constitution of Bangladesh.

So AL would not accept any other election ahead of the national election, he streesed.

About the forthcoming dialogue with EC on September 4 he said, " We will place these demand to the CEC and his collogues."

Asked what is party's view about the performances of EC he said that the EC itself does not know what its key task is. Recent activities of EC are making the people confused about the national polls," he noted.

Ashraful also urged the government to take necessary steps to keep the prices of daily essentials under buying capacity of the people and to ensure uninterrupted supply of electricity during the holy month of Ramazan.

The party will form a countrywide human chain soon demanding the unconditional release of Sheikh Hasina and lifting of all the cases filed against her, he informed.