No alternative to elections, speakers tell roundtable
Sunday, 10 February 2008
Elections should be held as soon as possible to give the people their right back as there is no alternative to polls for the continuation of democracy in the country, speakers told a roundtable in the city Saturday, reports UNB.
They said the country is now in a deep trouble and the crisis would deepen if a solution could not be found through negotiations among the political parties.
Calling for lifting the state of emergency, they said the people of the country would accept no system other than democracy.
Eminent jurist Kamal Hossain, former caretaker government adviser Akbar Ali Khan, veteran lawyer Rafiq-ul Haque, Awami League presidium members Amir Hossain Amu and Matia Chowdhury, LDP executive president Oli Ahmed, Jatiya party acting chairman Anisul Islam Mahmud, Communist Party of Bangladesh general secretary Mujahidul Islam Selim, Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon, Hasanul Haque Inu, Dilip Barua, journalist Mahfuz Ullah, Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury and Nurul Kabir, among others, addressed the roundtable.
The roundtable was held at the National Press Club marking the first anniversary of publication of Daily Manabzamin's supplementary magazine 'Janater Chokh'.
Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul moderated the roundtable. M Asafuddoula presented the keynote speech while Manabzamin editor Motiur Rahman Chowdhury delivered the welcome address.
The speakers said all the politicians need to be united for holding a free and fair election to establish a representative democracy in the country.
They also accused the government of failing to manage the economy and keep the prices of essential under control.
Kamal Hossain said the nation would be able to choose a democratic rule through a free and fair election. "The country's 150 million people will accept nothing other than elections."
Akbar Ali Khan said there is no existence of such a long-term caretaker government in the Constitution.
They said the country is now in a deep trouble and the crisis would deepen if a solution could not be found through negotiations among the political parties.
Calling for lifting the state of emergency, they said the people of the country would accept no system other than democracy.
Eminent jurist Kamal Hossain, former caretaker government adviser Akbar Ali Khan, veteran lawyer Rafiq-ul Haque, Awami League presidium members Amir Hossain Amu and Matia Chowdhury, LDP executive president Oli Ahmed, Jatiya party acting chairman Anisul Islam Mahmud, Communist Party of Bangladesh general secretary Mujahidul Islam Selim, Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon, Hasanul Haque Inu, Dilip Barua, journalist Mahfuz Ullah, Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury and Nurul Kabir, among others, addressed the roundtable.
The roundtable was held at the National Press Club marking the first anniversary of publication of Daily Manabzamin's supplementary magazine 'Janater Chokh'.
Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul moderated the roundtable. M Asafuddoula presented the keynote speech while Manabzamin editor Motiur Rahman Chowdhury delivered the welcome address.
The speakers said all the politicians need to be united for holding a free and fair election to establish a representative democracy in the country.
They also accused the government of failing to manage the economy and keep the prices of essential under control.
Kamal Hossain said the nation would be able to choose a democratic rule through a free and fair election. "The country's 150 million people will accept nothing other than elections."
Akbar Ali Khan said there is no existence of such a long-term caretaker government in the Constitution.