No election under 'shadow BNP govt'

They said Awami League stands for free and credible elections and the government must ensure it in consultation with the political parties.

The AL leaders came up with the strong observations while speaking at a discussion at the Diploma Engineers' Institution auditorium.

Awami Swechchhasebak League organised the discussion to demand immediate execution of the court verdict in the Bangabandhu murder case.

Taking part in the discussion, Awami League presidium member Tofail Ahmed said the next caretaker government would be a shadow BNP government with BNP men in the offices of the president and the chief advisor.

"We will not accept any elections under this shadow BNP government," he said, adding: "We will not allow such elections in Bangladesh even at the cost of our lives."

Tofail said the opposition would ensure free and fair polls through movement.

Another presidium member Amir Hossain Amu said constitution could not be an impediment on the way of greater national interest.

Citing constitutional problem in 1990, he said then Chief Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed could return to the bench after performing as acting President through a constitutional amendment on the basis of consensus.

Responding to criticism that AL sit idle at home, Amu said in metaphorical term, if AL sits at home, that is the greatest movement. There cannot be a greater movement than this.

"Our movement is to restore non-communal political forces...our movement will not rest until our reform proposals are realised," he said.

Chaired by Swechchhasebak League President Bahauddin Nasim, the discussion was also addressed by AL presidium member Abdur Razzak, Prof Nazma Rahman, Pankaj Debnath, Abdul Hannan, Nirmal Ranjan Guha and Matiur Rahman Moti.

On the question of implementing the court verdict in the Bangabandhu murder case, senior AL leaders called for installing a government to be headed by Sheikh Hasina for implementing the verdict.

They said the defeated forces of 1971 had taken "revenge" by killing father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. "We'll have to turn our grief into our strength to materialise the dream of Bangabandhu."