Awami League (AL) leaders on Friday iterated their party’s stance that the next general election would be held in due time in line with the constitutional provisions. “No one will be able to foil the next general election,” said AL joint general secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif, while addressing an extended meeting, organised by the Dhaka City AL, at Bangabandhu Avenue in the city. The meeting was held to make the party’s November 3 rally at Suhrawardy Udyan a success. The AL leader alleged that BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia has been conspiring to foil the 10th parliamentary election by forming ‘sangram committees’ comprising defeated forces of the Liberation War. He said the BNP chief’s dream would not be successful as the next poll will be held in due time in accordance with the constitution.
Hanif also alleged that the opposition chief wants to spread anarchy in the country’s political arena, with the help of the killers of 1971 and 1975, to save war criminals who committed crimes against humanity during the Liberation War.
“Actually, formation of an election-time government is not the only demand made by the BNP. They also want to save war criminals,” he said, adding that the opposition would not be able to save war criminals as the judgement against one or two convicted war criminals would be executed within the tenure of the present government.
About holding a dialogue between the two major political parties, Hanif iterated that the government is still eager to sit across the table with the opposition. “Whenever the main opposition BNP will finalise a date for talks, we will sit with them. However, the discussion must be based on the constitution,” he said.
Addressing the meeting, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, state minister for LGRD and cooperatives, alleged that the BNP has been creating anarchy in the country to go to power. He said the BNP should contest the next polls to compete for the power seat.
State minister for law Quamrul Islam said AL is not worried about movement.
Dhaka City AL General Secretary Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya as well as presidents and secretaries of different thana and ward units of the party in the capital also attended the meeting.
Meanwhile, Communications Minister Obaidul Kader said the prime minister’s invitation to Khaleda Zia to dinner at Ganabhaban is yet to be withdrawn.
He also said the door to dialogue is still open. “It can be held any time,” he said, after laying the foundation of a bridge on the Dhaka- Sylhet route in Narayanganj.
About the dissolution of parliament, the minister said parliament will run as long as the president does not dissolve it, in line with the constitutional provisions.
In another meeting, agriculture minister Matia Chowdhury said Khaleda Zia was conspiring to foil the next polls by using Jamaat-Shibir. cadres
Matia was addressing a rally, organised by the Dhaka City 14-party, in protest against the BNP-Jamaat’s countrywide anarchy in the last few days.
Criticising the main opposition for their plans to call more hartals in the next week, the agriculture minister said the BNP chairperson does not want the country’s children to learn their academic lessons. She also branded Khaleda as the queen of destruction and terrorism.
Matia Chowdhury also called upon all leaders and workers of the party to make the November 3 rally at Suhrawardy Udyan a success.
-With The Independent input
