No polls without caretaker reform

The reform proposals will be finalised this month and placed before all opposition parties, he said while addressing a triennial conference of Satkhira district Awami League.

"If there is no reforms, there will be no election", he said.

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The immediate past Chief Justice who is likely to be a man of BNP's choice will not hold the next election in a free and fair way, he alleged. "If will be suicidal if opposition goes to election without necessary reforms.

"The President is theirs. The Chief Advisor (of the next caretaker government) is theirs. In such a situation how can one except an impartial election?" he said.

This prompted AL and other opposition parties to think of reform the caretaker system and the EC, Abdul Mannan said.

He also expressed his party's concern over what he called growing religious fanaticism in the country.

Islamist zealots operating in the country under the shelter of the alliance government, are the "main threat" to the nation.

The alliance government has failed to run the country and has politicised the administration, he claimed.

He also termed the BNP-Jamat government "champion in corruption". People are suffering from a sense of insecurity due to custodial deaths.

He called for unity of pro-liberation forces to establish rule of law and people's rights and to put an end to "misrule" of the government. He called upon AL leaders and workers to build a mass movement to dislodge the autocratic government and free the country from their misrule.

The conference was held at Shahid Abdur Razzak Park with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the chair. It was addressed, by among, others AL central leaders Talukdar Abdul Khaleq MP, Mustafa Rashidi Suja, S M Kamal Hossain and Abdul Mazid.