"Today they don't like Jamaat. But in 1996 Awami League and Jamaat unitedly waged movement against BNP government for caretaker government and embraced each other," she told a public meeting at Gopalpur Suti MV High School ground.

Besides, Khaleda pointed out that during the anti-autocracy movement, Awami League had betrayed with the movement and participated in the elections under the autocratic regime of Ershad along with Jamaat.

The prime minister termed Awami League's objection to Jamaat a sheer pretext for backtracking from the proposed dialogue, which itself she said was only a ploy on their part. She observed having failed to wage anti-government movement, the opposition has now raised the demand for reform of caretaker government that successfully conducted two general elections.

"If reforms are needed, why they did not do it while in power for five years," she questioned about the motives of her arch political rival. "The reform proposals are nothing but a pretext for creating unrest and disrupting the elections."

The prime minister said Awami League has understood well that they will not be able to win the elections. "So they are conspiring to destroy democracy and obstruct current pace of development and progress."

She alleged a deep-rooted conspiracy is on to push back the country socially and economically--and Awami League is "involved in the conspiracy".

The prime minister assured that the next elections would be free and impartial under the caretaker government and urged the people to foil any conspiracy against election, democracy and development.

Presided over by Deputy Minister for Information Abdus Salam Pintu, the meeting was also addressed, among others, by Jute and Textiles Minister Shajahan Siraj, Telecommunications Minister Aminul Huq, Prime Minister's Political Secretary Harris Chowdhury, State Minister for NGO Bureau Affairs Lutfar Rahman Azad and Tangail BNP President Major Gen. (Rtd) Mahmudul Hassan MP.