The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Awami League's acting president Zillur Rahman yesterday asked the Election Commission and the caretaker government to ban all war criminals of the 1971 liberation war from standing in the upcoming December 18 polls.

"For protecting our country's sovereignty and independence, this is the time to take stern action against the war criminals. The EC must ban the anti-liberation force from election," he said.

Zillur Rahman was addressing a rally arranged at the central party office to protest the October 28, 2006 "Mayhem of Jamaat" in the city' s Paltan area.

The BNP-Jamaat alliance, on the other hand, observed protest day against 'logi-boitha violence'.

He said the anti-liberation force must be brought to book, failing which Bangladesh may turn into 'Pakistan'.

Zillur Rahman ruled out apprehension over the general election, saying that the election will certainly be held in a free and fair manner.

And if the general election is held freely and fairly, "Inshallah, we will form the next government under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina," he predicted.

About the bloody clash between Awami League and Jamaat supporters on October 28, 2006, which had led to a pre-election political crisis last year, he alleged killings were perpetrated by Jamaat "terrorists".

"But we have been blamed. The real culprits must be unveiled through investigation. We want the culprits are tried," he said.

Zillur Rahman asked the government to lift the state of emergency fully before the polls.

He also demanded of the government and the election commission to allow all prisoners in the December 18 elections.

Awami League presidium members Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Tofail Ahmed, Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed, Matia Chowdhury and Suranjit Sengupta, and Juba League general secretary Mirza Azam, among others, addressed the rally.

Abdur Razzak said there would be no election in the country without participation of party president Sheikh Hasina, now in the USA on parole.

Tofail Ahmed asked the election commission to settle the issue of delimitation of constituencies immediately to ensure elections on December 18.