The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The leaders of 14 party alliance yesterday expressed their dissatisfaction over the attendance of some Awami League (AL) leaders at an Iftar party sponsored by the Saudi ambassador along with Jamaat-e-Islami man who played controversial role in the liberation war of Bangladesh.

They also criticised this saying that it was a violation of promise.

The leaders of the Workers party Bangladesh (WPB), Ganatantri Party and Samyabadi Dal (ML) were talking to reporters after holding separate meetings with the AL leaders at the Gulshan residnece party's Acting President Zillur Rahman.

The meetings were arranged ahead of third round dialogue of AL with the Election Commission (EC) on September 9, as the 14 party alliance wants to place common demands on some vital issues like parliamentary polls, upazila elections and release of Sheikh Hasina.

WPB president Rashed Khan Menon suggested boycotting the war criminals both socially and politically.

Menon said, "We do not want to create any contradictory situation, which may raise questions among the people. The war criminals should be boycotted socially and politically."

he further said, "We never want to underestimate religious sentiment, But we want to say that the war criminals must be boycotted in every sphere," he added.

Asked about the results of the meeting with the AL, he said, "We have reached in consensus on some issues such as announcement of schedule for the parliamentary polls immediately, lifting of the state of emergency completely, holding national election ahead of any other pollsand banning war criminals from contesting the elections."

He noted that the government was trying to maintain the present 'controlled situation' in the country. AL and WPB had discussed how the country could get rid of this political deadlock, he informed.

Nurul Islam, president of Ganatantri Party, told reporters that the party had agreed with the AL on a number of issues, which include placing main emphasis on the national elections.

"We will not participate in any other elections ahead of the national election and we will resist any move to foil the national elections," he said.

Terming AL's participation at the iftar party with Jamaat leaders an unexpected occurrence, he said: "AL has breached the alliance's decision on Jamaat-e-Islami."

Samyabadi Dal general secretary Dilip Barua said, "We have reached an agreement that the 14-party alliance will not join any programme with war criminals, even diplomatic ones."

Acting AL general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam said, " AL will always stick to its previous stand on the war criminals. We want that the war criminals should be brought under trial and banned from contesting the elections."

In the face of repeated query from the reporters, Ashraful Islam said AL did not violate any agreement of the 14-party alliance by attending the iftar party with the Jamaat. It was a minor matter, he opined.

The policy makers of AL faced a lot of questions after they attended in the iftar party of the Saudi ambassador on Friday along with Jamaat-e-Islami leaders.

AL presidium member Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed, Begum Matia Chowdhury were also present in the meeting.

Meanwhile, acting AL president Zillur Rahman expressed doubt on holding of the parliamentary election by December as per roadmap announced by the EC.

"Still we are confused whether the parliamentary elections will be held in time or not. The government and the EC are responsible for creating confusion among the political parties and the people about the general polls," he said.

He made the remarks when a delegation of Bhairab Students Welfare Association in Dhaka came to meet the veteran politician at his residence.

Today AL will sit with other allies including National Awami Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal and Gono Azadi League.