Awami League Acting President Zillur Rahman
presiding over the party's central working committee meeting
The Awami League yesterday decided to stage a daylong countrywide mass hunger strike before April 20 with a view to force the Caretaker Government to release former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the Awami League Central Working Committee (ALCWC) at its President's office at Dhanamondi Residential Area with its Acting Chief Zillur Rahman in the chair.
Charting out a five-point demand, including the announcement of election schedules, bringing down the price of essentials, especially foodstuff and edible oil and the withdrawal of state of emergency immediately. The ALCWC approved Dhaka City Committee and Jubo Mohila League programmes of a mass signature campaign for the release of the party president Sheikh Hasina and directed all district units to take up similar programmes.
The AL leaders underscored the need for keeping the party united at any cost.
Meanwhile, her scientist husband Dr Wazed Mia, who earlier applied to the Chief Adviser for releasing her on parole for treatment abroad, met Sheikh Hasina yesterday at Square Hospital, as her health recently deteriorated.
The AL central leaders, including the ALCWC members and leading former MPs, held the meeting amid deployment of heavy contingent of police in front of the venue, situated on Road No 3/A and its adjoining areas. It was the first session of the ALCWC to discuss an agitation programme for the release of the party supremo after the January 11 (2007) changeover.
The deployment of over one platoon of police personnel, a large number of AL activists and supporters in the area created panic among the local residents.
When asked, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) Dhanmondi Police Station said it was a 'normal' deployment to avert any untoward incident. "Police are usually deployed when a political party holds a programme," he added.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, acting AL General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam announced the mass hunger strike saying that the planned hunger strike is the beginning of their future 'constructive movement' for unconditional release of Sheikh Hasina and other party leaders.
"We earlier sent an application to the Chief Adviser with a request to release Sheikh Hasina for her proper treatment in the USA. But, the government didn't pay heed to our demandtNow we strongly demand her unconditional release," Ashraful said.
The meeting criticised the caretaker government for failing to handle the spiralling price-hike of daily essentials and observed that mismanagement, indifference and indecision of the government was responsible for the soaring price, which was pushing the country towards famine-like situation.
"Control the prices of essentials. Otherwise, people will lose their patience leading to an awkward situation and it would not be good for the nation," Ashraf warned.
AL called for immediate holding of the proposed dialogue between the government and the political parties ahead of parliamentary election, but cautioned that if the war criminals were invited to the dialogue, the party would boycott it.
"We want bilateral dialogue like that of the Election Commission and we hope the government will refrain from any move that might hamper the dialogue process and it would not bring any good to the nation," Ashraful said.
The meeting asked the caretaker government to withdraw the 14-month-old state of emergency and lift the ban on political activities across the country to create congenial atmosphere for holding the elections.
The meeting decided to exchange views with divisional level leaders of the party to know their opinions about the elections and the movement. Such exchanges will be completed by mid-April.
"The only task of the caretaker government is to hold general elections and hand over power to an elected government and for this the government should announce election schedule immediately, as people are doubtful about holding of the election in due time," Ashraful said.
He said an elected government can solve people's misery and handing over power to an elected government is the only solution to overcome the present impasse.
Meeting sources said the AL would continue a series of 'constructive agitations' in a bid to make the common people aware that they would ultimately intensify the movement to realise their demands.
At the ALCWC meeting, some leaders expressed their dissatisfaction with the activities of its student wing Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL). They suggested reorganisation of the BCL to make it more effective.
presiding over the party's central working committee meeting
at its Dhanmondi office on Saturday.
The Awami League yesterday decided to stage a daylong countrywide mass hunger strike before April 20 with a view to force the Caretaker Government to release former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the Awami League Central Working Committee (ALCWC) at its President's office at Dhanamondi Residential Area with its Acting Chief Zillur Rahman in the chair.
Charting out a five-point demand, including the announcement of election schedules, bringing down the price of essentials, especially foodstuff and edible oil and the withdrawal of state of emergency immediately. The ALCWC approved Dhaka City Committee and Jubo Mohila League programmes of a mass signature campaign for the release of the party president Sheikh Hasina and directed all district units to take up similar programmes.
The AL leaders underscored the need for keeping the party united at any cost.
Meanwhile, her scientist husband Dr Wazed Mia, who earlier applied to the Chief Adviser for releasing her on parole for treatment abroad, met Sheikh Hasina yesterday at Square Hospital, as her health recently deteriorated.
The AL central leaders, including the ALCWC members and leading former MPs, held the meeting amid deployment of heavy contingent of police in front of the venue, situated on Road No 3/A and its adjoining areas. It was the first session of the ALCWC to discuss an agitation programme for the release of the party supremo after the January 11 (2007) changeover.
The deployment of over one platoon of police personnel, a large number of AL activists and supporters in the area created panic among the local residents.
When asked, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) Dhanmondi Police Station said it was a 'normal' deployment to avert any untoward incident. "Police are usually deployed when a political party holds a programme," he added.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, acting AL General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam announced the mass hunger strike saying that the planned hunger strike is the beginning of their future 'constructive movement' for unconditional release of Sheikh Hasina and other party leaders.
"We earlier sent an application to the Chief Adviser with a request to release Sheikh Hasina for her proper treatment in the USA. But, the government didn't pay heed to our demandtNow we strongly demand her unconditional release," Ashraful said.
The meeting criticised the caretaker government for failing to handle the spiralling price-hike of daily essentials and observed that mismanagement, indifference and indecision of the government was responsible for the soaring price, which was pushing the country towards famine-like situation.
"Control the prices of essentials. Otherwise, people will lose their patience leading to an awkward situation and it would not be good for the nation," Ashraf warned.
AL called for immediate holding of the proposed dialogue between the government and the political parties ahead of parliamentary election, but cautioned that if the war criminals were invited to the dialogue, the party would boycott it.
"We want bilateral dialogue like that of the Election Commission and we hope the government will refrain from any move that might hamper the dialogue process and it would not bring any good to the nation," Ashraful said.
The meeting asked the caretaker government to withdraw the 14-month-old state of emergency and lift the ban on political activities across the country to create congenial atmosphere for holding the elections.
The meeting decided to exchange views with divisional level leaders of the party to know their opinions about the elections and the movement. Such exchanges will be completed by mid-April.
"The only task of the caretaker government is to hold general elections and hand over power to an elected government and for this the government should announce election schedule immediately, as people are doubtful about holding of the election in due time," Ashraful said.
He said an elected government can solve people's misery and handing over power to an elected government is the only solution to overcome the present impasse.
Meeting sources said the AL would continue a series of 'constructive agitations' in a bid to make the common people aware that they would ultimately intensify the movement to realise their demands.
At the ALCWC meeting, some leaders expressed their dissatisfaction with the activities of its student wing Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL). They suggested reorganisation of the BCL to make it more effective.
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