No reform, no election

"We will encourage people in the spirit of 'no reform, no election' so that they are not misled," Jalil, also coordinator of the 14-party, said at a convention of the Jubo Moitree, youth front of Workers' Party, at the auditorium of the Institution of Engineers' Bangladesh (IEB) in the city.

He said they placed reform proposals aiming to establish people's constitutional rights to vote. "The proposal is not meant for Awami League or any other political party for coming to power in the upcoming parliamentary election, rather it is meant for ensuring congenial atmosphere for conducting free and fair elections", he added.

Pointing at US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Richard A Boucher's recent comment on ruling coalition partner Jamaat-e-Islami that 'I find no Jamaat connection with the extremists', Jalil said despite the extremists' repeated confessions, it is 'unfortunate' that he found no Jamaat connection with the extremists.

He also condemned the recent attempts of some quarters that brought defamation charge against country's eminent citizens who show ways and means for advancement of the country.

Jalil said such initiatives would open up new avenue in the movement for establishing exploitation free democratic state.

President of the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS) Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma, popularly known as Shantu Larma, stressed the need for a pro-people government to end the misrule and repression of the alliance government. He said programme-based unity among the people is needed to establish a government that would ensure the rights of all quarters of people.

Workers' Party President Rashed Khan Menon urged the young generation to popularise the 23-point common national programme among the people so that the people could support it in the upcoming election as the 23-point has specifically addressed employment and other issues for the people.

Chaired by Jubo Moitree President Nur Ahmed Bakul, the programme was also addressed by Party General Secretary Bimal Bishwas, Fazle Hossain Badsha, Haider Akbar Khan Ranu, Pankaj Bhattachariya, Abdus Samad, Dilip Barua, eminent journalist Kamal Lohani, General Secretary of Bangladesh Economic Association Prof Abul Barakat, Editor of the daily Shamokal Abed Khan and Acting Editor of Shaptahik 2000 Golam Murtuza.