AL, JSD decide to help EC in implementing roadmap
Tuesday, 2 October 2007
Key leaders of the Awami League (AL) and the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) have decided to help the Election Commission (EC) implementing the latter's announced roadmap but they observed the caretaker government and the EC should not take any decision that might hamper the roadmap.
The decision was taken at a bilateral meeting held between AL and JSD with AL acting President Zillur Rahman in the chair in the city Monday, reports UNB.
"We all will have to work unitedly for holding a free and fair election but the government and the EC should not take any decision that might create obstacle to implement the EC's roadmap," AL presidium member Tofail Ahmed said.
Tofail was entrusted with the responsibility of coordinating the allies in the 14-party combine.
The meeting was part of a series of talks among allies of the AL-led 14-party combine to work out common and identical proposals for the EC-sponsored dialogue on electoral reforms.
Both AL and JSD have decided to discuss electoral reforms with EC taking into account the 31-point reform proposal of the 14-party combine as the main basis of their talks.
The meeting took a unanimous decision to raise a demand for declaring political parties that are accused of war crime, militancy, and fundamentalism and engaged in religion-based politics ineligible for taking part in polls and national politics.
Referring to Chief Adviser (CA) Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed's remark that unelected government should not stay in power for long and State of Emergency should be withdrawn during the election, Tofail Ahmed said adding, "I congratulate the Chief Adviser as he understood the people's feelings."
He also congratulated the Chief Adviser, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and the Army Chief for their commitment to holding election by December 2008.
The AL leader also demanded lifting the ban on indoor politics across the country and said if the ban is lifted, leaders and workers of 14-party combine could help in preparing voters' list with photographs.
Tofail wondered about the Chief Election Commissioner's remark about a proposal made by different political parties to disqualify for registration the religion-based political parties.
The CEC said Sunday that to disqualify the religion-based political parties for registration is a political matter which is beyond the jurisdiction of the EC and politicians should solve the matter politically. But Tofail said according to the EC's provision, the EC can do it.
The AL leader said it would be painful if anyone compares Awami League with BNP because BNP-led four-party government is responsible for creating the present crises in the country.
Briefing reporters, JSD President Hasanul Huq Inu said EC should formulate rules so that religion-based political parties that are accused of war crime, militancy and fundamentalism could not field candidates in elections.
Among others, AL leaders Mukul Bose, Akhteruzzaman, Sultan Mohammad Mansur Ahmed, Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Advocate Rahmat Ali, Advocate Abdul Mannan Khan, Abdul Latif Siddiqui, HN Ashiqur Rahman, Dr Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin, Habibur Rahman Siraj, Abdur Razzak, Dr Dipu Moni, Advocate Quamrul Islam and Maj Gen (retd) Subid Ali Bhuiyan and JSD leaders Mainuddin Khan Badol, Syed Jafar Sazzad, Sharif Nurul Ambia, Sherin Akter, Rezaul Karim Tansen and Meer Hossain Akter were present at the meeting.
The decision was taken at a bilateral meeting held between AL and JSD with AL acting President Zillur Rahman in the chair in the city Monday, reports UNB.
"We all will have to work unitedly for holding a free and fair election but the government and the EC should not take any decision that might create obstacle to implement the EC's roadmap," AL presidium member Tofail Ahmed said.
Tofail was entrusted with the responsibility of coordinating the allies in the 14-party combine.
The meeting was part of a series of talks among allies of the AL-led 14-party combine to work out common and identical proposals for the EC-sponsored dialogue on electoral reforms.
Both AL and JSD have decided to discuss electoral reforms with EC taking into account the 31-point reform proposal of the 14-party combine as the main basis of their talks.
The meeting took a unanimous decision to raise a demand for declaring political parties that are accused of war crime, militancy, and fundamentalism and engaged in religion-based politics ineligible for taking part in polls and national politics.
Referring to Chief Adviser (CA) Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed's remark that unelected government should not stay in power for long and State of Emergency should be withdrawn during the election, Tofail Ahmed said adding, "I congratulate the Chief Adviser as he understood the people's feelings."
He also congratulated the Chief Adviser, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and the Army Chief for their commitment to holding election by December 2008.
The AL leader also demanded lifting the ban on indoor politics across the country and said if the ban is lifted, leaders and workers of 14-party combine could help in preparing voters' list with photographs.
Tofail wondered about the Chief Election Commissioner's remark about a proposal made by different political parties to disqualify for registration the religion-based political parties.
The CEC said Sunday that to disqualify the religion-based political parties for registration is a political matter which is beyond the jurisdiction of the EC and politicians should solve the matter politically. But Tofail said according to the EC's provision, the EC can do it.
The AL leader said it would be painful if anyone compares Awami League with BNP because BNP-led four-party government is responsible for creating the present crises in the country.
Briefing reporters, JSD President Hasanul Huq Inu said EC should formulate rules so that religion-based political parties that are accused of war crime, militancy and fundamentalism could not field candidates in elections.
Among others, AL leaders Mukul Bose, Akhteruzzaman, Sultan Mohammad Mansur Ahmed, Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Advocate Rahmat Ali, Advocate Abdul Mannan Khan, Abdul Latif Siddiqui, HN Ashiqur Rahman, Dr Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin, Habibur Rahman Siraj, Abdur Razzak, Dr Dipu Moni, Advocate Quamrul Islam and Maj Gen (retd) Subid Ali Bhuiyan and JSD leaders Mainuddin Khan Badol, Syed Jafar Sazzad, Sharif Nurul Ambia, Sherin Akter, Rezaul Karim Tansen and Meer Hossain Akter were present at the meeting.