AL won't join polls without caretaker reform, says Jalil

He said AL and other opposition parties are demanding reforms in electoral and caretaker systems to ensure a free, fair and peaceful election.

The present systems must be reformed, he said while addressing a council of Nilphamari Jubo League, youth front of Awami League, held at the Shilpakala Academy in the town on Saturday.

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Jalil said the government should show respect to the opposition demand and its proposals to ensure a fair election. "This would prove its (government) respect for de mocracy", he said.

The AL leader said the opposition parties had a bitter experience in 1996. "If they (ruling parties) recall the events (in 1996), they can not ignore the opposition demand now", he said.

Addressing the council, AL central publicity secretary Asaduzzaman Noor MP said corruption and incidents of crime and violence increased in the last four years though they made electoral pledges to curb those.

Fundamentalist forces have raised their heads again in the name of religion under the protection of ruling parties , Noor alleged. It sounds a mockery when the government says Bangla Bhai can not be nabbed, he added. AL central leader Col (rtd) maruf Saqline, Mosaraf Hossain, Dr. hamida banu Shova MP, Nilphamari Municipal Chairman Dewan kamal Ahmed, Saidpur Municipal Chairman Akhter Hossain Badal, and central Jubo League secretary Mirza Azam also addressed the counciul, inaugurated by its central president Jahangir kabir Nanok. It was presided over by Nilphamari district Jubo League President Romendra Nath Bardhan.

The council formed a new district Jubo League committee with Romendra Nath Bardhan as its president and Shaheed mahmud as secretary.