The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The Acting President of Awami League (AL) Zillur Rahman yesterday said that the party chief Sheikh Hasina would not sit to talk with the BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia across the table, as Sheikh Hasina was freed under parole while BNP chief was permamently releasesd.

AL Acting president demanded unconditional release of Hasina.

He also termed it a discriminatory attitude of the government while they were talking for creating a level playing field for the upcoming election.

Zillur made this comment while talking to the reporters after a meeting with the Awami Juba League leaders at his Gulshan residence.

"Sheikh Hasina Has not been released permanently till now.

But Khaleda Zia is moving like a free bird. No meeting between Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia is possible under this circumstances. Meeting between them can be held when both of them will be treated equally by the the government," Zillur said.

Asked about Hasina's motive on whehter she would talk with Khaleda or not he replied that Sheikh Hasina herself would take the decision after her permanent release.

Zillur severly criticised the Caretaker Government for releasing most corrupt persons while they are keeping the pro-liberation and honest people behind the bars.

He expressed grief that the dramatic political changeover of 1/11 was a result of massive movement of AL against corruption and wrongdoing. But resuming the power the Caretaker Governemnt threw the AL leaders inside the jail and tortured them brutally.

Zillur demanded the complete withdrawal of emergency and holding of the parliamentary election ahead of any other election to make the polls credible to the people of the country.

Asked about the date of return of Sheikh Hasina, he said that she would likely to come back home in the last week of the current month or after Eid.

He asked the government to free all AL detainees, including its central leaders Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Juba League chairman Jahangir Kabir Nanak and general secretary Mirza Azam.

AL Presidium member Amir Hossain Amu was also present in the meeting and said, "The meeting between Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina could be considered if Khaleda comes to Hasina's residence."

Criticising the governemnt's activities Amu said that Tarique Rahman who had been the champion of corruption was released while Jahangir kabir Nanak and Mirza Azam were still facing false allegations of corruption.

Amu alleged that Tarique by quitting politics has himself proved that all the massive corruption during the BNP-Jamaat Government occurred under his shadow.

About Khaleda Zia's vow to drop out the corrupts from her party, Amu rasied question that how she would drop out the corrupts while all corruptions took place centering her and Tarique.

Another AL presidium member Adbur Razzak said, no congenial atmosphere would be created in the country ahead of the parliamentary polls unless Sheikh Hasina is released.

Juba League leaders Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury, Dr Mizanur Rahman, among others, spoke on the occasion.