The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff reporter

Awami League (AL) presidium member Abdur Razzak yesterday accused the government of planning to further amend the Representation of the People Order (RPO) in of 'a specific quarter', which had played controversial role during the liberation war.

Razzak was speaking while distributing sarees among needy women at the Ram Sita temple at Tikatuli in the capital on the occasion of Durga Puja.

"We have come to know that the authorities are taking initiatives to incorporate further changes into the newly amended RPO 2008 only for the benefit of a particular political party," he maintained.

When asked to identify the 'particular party', Razzak said that everyone knows the anti-liberation force who is not yet prepared to reconcile itself with the independence of Bangladesh. These people have described the liberation was as

a " civil war " and they have not yet apologized for their sinful acts during the 1971 war, he noted.

He alleged that this force is now stoking religious fanaticism, inciting communal feelings and encouraging fundamentalism. "Religious fanaticism is breeding militancy in the name of Islam, whereas Islam means 'peace' and doesn't support militancy at all," he added.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the government's dilly-dallying approach of the government for bringing the war crimes under trial, Razzak said, " The war criminals are moving about as VIPs."

The AL presidium member called upon the government to ensure total security of party president Sheikh Hasina when she returns home.

He also urged the Election Commission to defer the upazila polls by at least one month.