Work together brushing aside intra-party conflicts

Hasina, also leader of the opposition in parliament, told them to work together to win the election brushing aside all intra-party conflicts, as leaders from different districts informed her of long-standing conflicts at local level.

Giving a hint about forming a grand opposition alliance, she said there might be a change in the nomination of candidates. "But all have to work unitedly for the person nominated by the party."

On the third day of closed-door meeting, Hasina exchanged views with the party leaders representing upazila, thana and municipality units in Jamalpur, Sherpur and Netrakona districts.

The AL won four parliamentary seats out of 13 in the three districts -- five in Netrakona, three in Sherpur and five in Jamalpur -- in 2001 elections.

Hasina will exchange views with the leaders from Mymensingh and Kishoreganj districts today and with the leaders from Faridpur, Rajbari, Shariatpur, Madaripur and Gopalganj tomorrow.

The AL chief will also meet the leaders from Barisal and Chittagong divisions from June 14 to 19.

At yesterday's meeting, the grassroots level leaders underscored the need for resolving the intra-party conflicts at local level and nominating the right candidates for the election to avoid any debacle.

They also pointed out the lack of coordination between the top and local leaders in all the three districts.

The leaders, however, pledged to work together from now on and start preparing themselves to clinch victory in the election.

They also said they would resist all conspiracies of the coalition government over the election.

They called for not neglecting the dedicated leaders and workers and those who have been ignored for long.

They also called for taking effective steps so that no-one could hold a post for more than three times and nominating young candidates in the upcoming election.

"We have told our party chief that if the alliance government tries to manipulate election results, we will resist them with all our force," Azizur Rahman, president of Barhatta upazila AL, told The Daily Star after the meeting.

Before the meeting, Hasina told reporters that the BNP-Jamaat government is hatching a new conspiracy to rig the election, as they know well that this time people will reject them for their misrule.