Reforms a must to foil election engineering

Awami League General Secretary Abdul Jalil addressing a rally at Rangpur town before start of the 14-party opposition's long march yesterday. PHOTO: STAR

He said, the ruling parties know that people would not vote for BNP-Jamaat as their life has become miserable under the rule of the four-party alliance government. So BNP and Jamaat are hatching conspiracy to retain power through election engineering, ignoring people's demand for reform, he said. Reforms is a must to foil their evil design, he added.

He was addressing a huge public meeting at Rangpur Public Library ground before the road march of AL- led 14- party combine. Jalil said, leaders of BNP and Jamat made amasses wealth through corruption, and have politicised the administration to retain power.

He said, " BNP and Jamat are now going to tie up with Jatiya Party ( Ershad) whose leaders also plundered public wealth through corruption during their his nine years' misrule".

Others who spoke at the rally include AL central leaders Abdur Razzak, Motia Choudhury, Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Abdul Mannan, JSD president Hasanul Hoque Innu, Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon and Gonotantri Party president Pankoj Bhattacharia. It was presided over by Kazi Mazharul Islam Liton.

Hasanul Hoque Innu said, 14-party combine is fighting for establishing a secular, democratic and accountable government.

Abdur Razzak said, BNP and Jamaat in last five years killed a number of top AL leaders including former finance minister ASM Kibria, Ivy Rahman, and Ahsanullah Master to make the party bereft of leaders.

Criticising the government, he said it is yet to place investigation report on August 21 grenade attacks on AL rally in Dhaka.

Rashed Khan Menon said, reforms are necessary to hod a free and fair election in a peaceful way.

Motia Choudhury said, people of Rangpur have been deprived of development during the tenure of the government.

Bogra has been brought under pipeline gas supply network whereas there is no commitment for gas supply to Rangpur, only 85 km from Bogra.

She said, gas will be supplied to Rangpur, a university would be set up here and Rangpur division would be formed if 14-party combine is voted to power in the next election.

Carrying banners and posters, several thousands people joined the long march. They walked about 8 kilomemetres from Public Library to Arjon point and chanted various anti-government slogans demanding reforms to the caretaker system and the Election Commission and to vote for 14-party alliance candidates in the coming election.