14-party to hold countrywide rallies from Sept 10 to 15

Leaders of the 14-party took the decision at a meeting at the Workers' Party Office in the city yesterday, with AL presidium member Abdur Razzak in the chair.

"Ahead of the grand rally in the capital on September 18, we will mobilise tens of thousands of people from across the country through holding rallies at thana level," a senior opposition leader told The Daily Star.

The meeting formed a four-member committee comprising Abdul Mannan, Bimal Biswas, Syed Zafar Sazzad and Mofizul Islam Khan Kamal to work out plans for the thana level rallies.

The committee will meet today to devise the plans, which will be finalised at a meeting of the opposition combine tomorrow, meeting sources said.

A team comprising senior 14-party leaders, including Abdur Razzak, Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Bimal Biswas, Dilip Barua and Fazle Hossain Badsha, will visit Phulbari on September 13.

The meeting condemned the police action on the opposition workers during yesterday's hartal. It also appreciated the role of the people in making the hartal a success.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, 14-party coordinator Abdul Jalil said the countrymen would never accept any elections without the participation of the 14-party.

Referring to the prime minister's statement that elections will be held in accordance with the constitution and the chief advisor of the caretaker government will assume office as per the constitution and that it does not matter who accepts it and who doesn't, Jalil said she (PM) has become so corrupt that she wants to retain power at any cost.

"That is why the prime minister wants to go for election without the participation of the 14-party," Jalil, also the AL general secretary, said.

He warned that the elections will be held only after the reform proposals are implemented and a new voter list is made. And there will be no election without the participation of the 14-party, he added.

Jalil also strongly criticised Energy Advisor Mahmudur Rahman for his comments on political leadership regarding Phulbari killings.

Tofail Ahmed, Motia Chowdhury, Obaidul Quader, Abdul Mannan, Rashed Khan Menon, Hasanul Haque Inu, Bimal Biswas, Dilip Barua, Pankaj Bhattacharya, Nurul Islam, Mofizul Islam Khan Kamal, Advocate Zahirul Islam, Syed Zafar Sazzad, Sharif Nurul Ambia, MA Gani, Abdus Samad and Asit Baron Roy attended the meeting.