AL to resist polls without caretaker reforms

The party, with people's support will not allow holding of the next parliamentary polls without reforming the electoral system as proposed by the 14-party alliance, they said while addressing Jhenidah AL council.

Polls will not be free and fare without reforms, they said and called upon partymen to intensify agitation to compel the government to accept the proposed reforms.

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AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil inaugurated the council held at Shapla Chattar in the town. AL Presidium members Abdur Razzak and Suranjit Sen Gupta were special guests.

Central leaders including Abdul Mannan, SM Kamal Hossain and Abdul Majid and Jhenidah district AL leaders addressed the council. District AL Convener Abdul Hai was in the chair.

Jalil said the BNP-Jamaat government is planning to hold a 'farcical' polls under the existing caretaker system without reforming the Election Commission (EC) only to cling to power. The people under the leadership of the opposition alliance will foil the move, he said.

"This government has to be removed as it is protecting perpetrators of the August 17 bomb blasts across the country and other blasts earlier", he said.

This government in its 4-year tenure has branded Bangladesh abroad as a country of religious zealots, Jalil said adding peace will not return till they are in power.

The government is recruiting partymen to vital posts in the Election Commission. It has by now politicised the administration. He demanded cancellation of the recent appointment of JCD and Shibir activists as election officials.

Abdur Razzak said, the government has appointed a 'loyal' Chief Election Commissioner and is looking for another man as the Chief Advisor to the next caretaker government. So all preparations are being made to hold a farcical election, he said.

He said, people will resist any election if held without reforms.

Razzak said, prices of essentials have gone beyond purchasing capacity of the commonman.

The government is solely responsible for deterioration in law and order because it is sheltering Islamist militants and has released about 70,000 'criminals' from jails.

He urged the people to unite to oust the government.

Suranjit Sengupta said Bangladesh had earned a good image abroad during the AL rule. But foreign media has portrayed Bangladesh as a country of Islamist militants under the BNP-Jamaat rule, he said.

Anti-liberation forces are now out to jeopardise the country's independence as the government has destroyed the spirit of the Liberation War. Only a greater unity of progressive forces can restore the country's image, he said. There is no alternative to ousting this government, AL front ranking leader said.

The coalition government is responsible for all bomb and grenade attacks in the country because they did not try any of the criminals involved in the incidents. The so called Islamist militants, taking government's protection, are now threatening to explode more bombs, he said.