Mukul Bose raises call for Hasina's freedom
Tuesday, 11 September 2007
Awami League (AL) acting General Secretary Mukul Bose Monday demanded freedom for detained former premier Sheikh Hasina, a day after the government opened the door to limited politics.
Bose also urged the government to lift the ban on politics completely, in an appeal when he spoke to journalists in the AL chief's Dhanmondi office, reports bdnews24.com.
The AL leader came to the office at 11:30 am and treated everybody present there to sweets and left for the central office on Bangabandhu Avenue in the city Monday.
Reaching the central office, Bose found many party workers and adherents, who asked him to make statements demanding release of the AL chief from detention in jail and not speak of party reforms.
When the AL activists accompanying Bose tried to calm down the people at the central office, an infuriated group hackled him creating disorder in the area.
Apparently pushed by some angry AL activists, Bose fell down. He left the spot without entering the office. The AL workers and supporters kicked his car.
Earlier, at the Dhanmondi office, he said: "I feel great. The government decision has freed indoor politics. If the government lifts the state of emergency now, it will restore democracy."
"The caretaker government has imposed certain conditions despite lifting the ban on indoor politics, which is discouraging again. Of course, we can discuss a lot of issues indoors too."
On reform dialogue with the Election Commission (EC), Bose said, "The acting AL chief asked me Sunday night to convene a meeting. We'll call the meeting after receiving an invitation from the commission to decide on the issue of our participation in EC dialogue."
"We demand that the government free Sheikh Hasina. If the AL Central Working Committee decides that we won't go for dialogue without Hasina, we'll stick to it," Bose said, referring to acting AL President Zillur Rahman's statement that his party will not sit with anybody without Hasina.
The AL sits in a meeting at the Dhanmondi office in the city at 4:00 pm Wednesday, which will be attended by AL presidium members and other senior leaders.
Bose also urged the government to lift the ban on politics completely, in an appeal when he spoke to journalists in the AL chief's Dhanmondi office, reports bdnews24.com.
The AL leader came to the office at 11:30 am and treated everybody present there to sweets and left for the central office on Bangabandhu Avenue in the city Monday.
Reaching the central office, Bose found many party workers and adherents, who asked him to make statements demanding release of the AL chief from detention in jail and not speak of party reforms.
When the AL activists accompanying Bose tried to calm down the people at the central office, an infuriated group hackled him creating disorder in the area.
Apparently pushed by some angry AL activists, Bose fell down. He left the spot without entering the office. The AL workers and supporters kicked his car.
Earlier, at the Dhanmondi office, he said: "I feel great. The government decision has freed indoor politics. If the government lifts the state of emergency now, it will restore democracy."
"The caretaker government has imposed certain conditions despite lifting the ban on indoor politics, which is discouraging again. Of course, we can discuss a lot of issues indoors too."
On reform dialogue with the Election Commission (EC), Bose said, "The acting AL chief asked me Sunday night to convene a meeting. We'll call the meeting after receiving an invitation from the commission to decide on the issue of our participation in EC dialogue."
"We demand that the government free Sheikh Hasina. If the AL Central Working Committee decides that we won't go for dialogue without Hasina, we'll stick to it," Bose said, referring to acting AL President Zillur Rahman's statement that his party will not sit with anybody without Hasina.
The AL sits in a meeting at the Dhanmondi office in the city at 4:00 pm Wednesday, which will be attended by AL presidium members and other senior leaders.