The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

BNP secretary general Khandker Delwar Hossain yesterday reiterated the demand for lifting the state of emergency before the announcement of elections schedule on November 2.

" The state of emergency should be withdrawn before announcing the election schedule to pave the way for contesting the polls by those barred by the emergency power rules," he said in a telephonic message put on loudspeaker at a discussion meeting organised by the four party alliances at the auditorium of Diploma Engineers Institute at Kakrail in the city.

The BNP secretary general could not attend the meeting on account of physical ailment.

The four party alliance organised the discussion to observe October 28,2006. On that day Awami League-led coalition activists with oar and pole (Logi-baitha) allegedly killed five Jamaat activists in the city.

Khandker Delwar said the government have to meet their demands if it wants to hold free and fair election.

"Boycott any pre-fixed election and remain united under the leadership of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia," he urged the leaders and activists of the alliance.

He, however, praised Commerce Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman for his observation that there is no bar for BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and Awami League president Sheikh Hasina in contesting the upcoming election. Bangladesh Jamaat-e- Islami secretary genera, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid said the four party alliance would come to power if elections were held on the announced date. "We are waiting for our victory and we will bring the killers of Jammat activists to trial," he added. He urged the government to realise seven-point demands of the four party alliance for enabling all political parties in participating in the forthcoming parliamentary election.

Assistant secretaries general of Jamaat Mohammad Qamaruzzsaman, Kader Mollah, ATM Azharul Islam and Rafiqul Islam Khan, Barrister Andaleeve Rahman, president and Shamim Al Mamoon, secretary general of Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) Abdul Latif Nezami, secretary general of Islami Oikkya Jote (IOJ) and Maulana Emdadul Haq of Khelafat Majlis, among others, spoke on the occasion.