Mannan Bhuiyan for gradual lifting of emergency

---

Former secretary general of BNP Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan said Friday that the state of emergency, which was in place for 20 months, should gradually be lifted before the forthcoming general elections, reports UNB.

If the emergency was not withdrawn gradually it would be difficult for the elected government to lift it at one go, he told journalists at his Gulshan house.

Mr Bhuiyan, now on bail in the Gatco graft case, said the August 4 local-body elections were peaceful, but not free and fair.

He said that voters would join the parliamentary elections spontaneously if the emergency was not in force.

Mr Bhuiyan, who was expelled from the party on September 2 last year by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia for "anti-party" activities, said the decision to boycott the August 4 local-body elections was not correct.

"It is true, there was reason to take such a decision. But participation in the elections could be a part of movement," he said.

Stressing the unity of splinter groups of BNP, Mr Bhuiyan, a long serving secretary general, said BNP would face a debacle if it was not united. He promised his all out efforts to unify the party before the elections.

Meanwhile, BNP standing committee member RA Gani said BNP wanted to take part in the election, but not under the state of emergency.

He alleged that the August 4 elections to city corporations and municipalities were manipulated under a well thought out plan.