Zillur asks govt to ban war criminals from Dec 18 polls
Wednesday, 29 October 2008
Awami League's (AL) acting president Zillur Rahman Tuesday asked the Election Commission (EC) and the caretaker government (CG) to ban all war criminals of the 1971 liberation war from standing in the upcoming December 18 polls, reports UNB.
"For protecting our country's sovereignty and independence, this is the time to take stern action against the war criminals. The EC must ban the anti-liberation force to take part in the election," he said.
Zillur Rahman was addressing a rally arranged at the central party office to protest the October 28, 2006 "Mayhem of Jamaat" in the city's Paltan area.
The BNP-Jamaat alliance, on the other hand, observed protest day against 'logi-boitha violence'.
He said the anti-liberation force must be brought to book, failing which Bangladesh may turn into 'Pakistan'.
Zillur ruled out apprehension over the general election, saying that the election would certainly be held in a free and fair manner.
And if the general election is held freely and fairly, "Insha Allah, we will form the next government under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina," he predicted.
About the bloody clash between the AL and the Jamaat supporters on October 28, 2006, which had led to a pre-election political crisis last year, he alleged killings were perpetrated by Jamaat "terrorists".
"But we have been blamed. The real culprits must be unveiled through investigation. We want the culprits to be tried," he said. Zillur Rahman asked the government to lift the state of emergency fully before the polls.
He also demanded of the government and the election commission to allow all prisoners to participate in the December 18 elections.
Awami League presidium members Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Tofail Ahmed, Abdur Razzak, Matia Chowdhury and Suranjit Sengupta, and Juba League general secretary Mirza Azam, among others, addressed the rally.
"For protecting our country's sovereignty and independence, this is the time to take stern action against the war criminals. The EC must ban the anti-liberation force to take part in the election," he said.
Zillur Rahman was addressing a rally arranged at the central party office to protest the October 28, 2006 "Mayhem of Jamaat" in the city's Paltan area.
The BNP-Jamaat alliance, on the other hand, observed protest day against 'logi-boitha violence'.
He said the anti-liberation force must be brought to book, failing which Bangladesh may turn into 'Pakistan'.
Zillur ruled out apprehension over the general election, saying that the election would certainly be held in a free and fair manner.
And if the general election is held freely and fairly, "Insha Allah, we will form the next government under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina," he predicted.
About the bloody clash between the AL and the Jamaat supporters on October 28, 2006, which had led to a pre-election political crisis last year, he alleged killings were perpetrated by Jamaat "terrorists".
"But we have been blamed. The real culprits must be unveiled through investigation. We want the culprits to be tried," he said. Zillur Rahman asked the government to lift the state of emergency fully before the polls.
He also demanded of the government and the election commission to allow all prisoners to participate in the December 18 elections.
Awami League presidium members Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Tofail Ahmed, Abdur Razzak, Matia Chowdhury and Suranjit Sengupta, and Juba League general secretary Mirza Azam, among others, addressed the rally.