AL again asks govt to lift emergency, hold poll by July

Dhaka, Jan 11 (bdprem.com) – The Awami League Friday renewed its call on the interim government to immediately lift the emergency and stage elections by July. Acting party chief Zillur Rahman said only a democratic government could resolve the crises facing the nation. Your Ad Here "We want immediate withdrawal of the state of emergency. Only an elected and democratic government can deal with such crises," Zillur said at a news briefing in the party's Dhanmondi office. He said the party was optimistic about freeing detained party chief Sheikh Hasina through legal and constitutional means. On whether his outfit would wage a campaign with arch-rival BNP, Zillur said: "I have told Khandaker Delwar Hossain by phone that there has not been situation that calls for a joint movement." The party organised the briefing to focus on the performance of the makeshift administration's one year in office. Zillur said a certain quarter was out to malign the Awami League, Sheikh Hasina and the anti-communal forces. "The quarter is blaming both the Awami League and the BNP-Jamaat the same way for the Jan 11 changeover. They want to save the real culprits blaming the Awami League," he said. He said the four-party alliance tried to destroy the Awami League in 2001-2006 and accused the BNP-led coalition government of huge corruption and power abuse. "They had planned to rig the elections to wrestle power in an effort to evade the people's wraths. January 11 came after the then interim government failed to deliver as a neutral government. Those who blame the Awami League equating it with the BNP-Jamaat are a party to false, baseless propaganda," he said. The party placed a set of demands to the interim government, which are: 1. Immediate withdrawal of all restrictions on free politics 2. Withdrawal of all charges against Sheikh Hasina; arrangement for the freedom of and better treatment for Sheikh Hasina 3. Withdrawal of all charges against Sheikh Rehana and secretary general Abdul Jalil; freedom of all political detainees 4. Ensuring an environment for fair elections and holding dialogues with the political parties 5. Establishment of an independent Election Commission secretariat by giving it financial freedom 6. Completion of steps for registration of political parties, formulation of a code of conduct for elections and ensuring electoral reforms 7. Ensuring food security through imports of rice; controlling price spirals of daily commodities 8. Increasing fertiliser production, building a buffer stock of fertiliser, proper distribution of fertiliser, ensuring adequate supply of power and diesel. 9. Reconstruction of the Sidr-battered region. 10. Trial of the war criminals and banning them from elections, preparation of a list of the war criminals, freedom of the detained university teachers and students, and 11. Checking distortion of history of the liberation war, completion of the trial of Bangabandhu killing case.