The ruling parties are not accepting the opposition-demanded reforms because they know for sure a fair polls will throw them out of power, the leaders said at a big rally at Osmani Udyan in the city prior to starting their Sylhet divisional road march.

The 6 kilometre road march started from the Osmani Udyan and paraded streets in Court point, Zindabazar, Chouhatta, Rikabibazar, Mirzajangal, Kean Bridge and Kodomtoli before terminating at Humayun Rashid Square.

The reforms are aimed at holding a fair polls they said and the opposition will not allow a 'farcical election' without reforms, they said.

In response to Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's remarks that the opposition has become crazy for power, the leaders said, it is not the opposition but the ruling alliance and Khaleda Zia, who have gone 'mad' to retain power through election engineering.

Awami League General Secretary Abdul Jalil MP called upon people to compel the 'failed government' to resign immediately and accept the reform proposals. "We will announce a fresh programme from the September 18 grand rally in Dhaka o compel the government to step down", he said.

He also urged the people to observe 'repression resistance day' on September 6.

The opposition will lay a siege to the Election Commission on September 7 and the Prime minister's office on September 12.

Jalil said, "People are now united to realise their just demands under the leadership of 14-party alliance", he said.

Refuting the prime minister's allegation that Awami League want to foil the coming election, Jalil said AL is a pro-election party but will not allow any conspiracy to keep plunderers in power. People will resist their evil design of BNP-Jamaat alliance, he added.

AL Presidium member Abdur Razzak MP said, ruling alliance wants to make their man the chief of caretaker government to hold the coming election. "We will not allow this".

"Jamaat and its leaders Nizami and Sayeedi took part in the mass killing in 1971. Now they are again out to create anarchy in the country. This is why bomb attacks took place at the shrine of Hajrat shahjalal (RA) in Sylhet and in

at public rallies", he said.

"They are engaged in such heinous acts in the name of Islam. People would not allow these any more", Razzak said.

Workers Party leader Rashed Khan Menon said Shibir (Jamaat's student front) activists are spoiling academic atmosphere in different universities including the Shahjalal University of Science and technology to create an unstable situation but the government is not taking any action against tem.

AL Presidium member Suranjit Sengupta said, sensing defeat, BNP is now taking Ershad in the alliance. But that will not help them retain power as people are conscious. "We will compel the ruling alliance accept reforms".

AL Presidium Member Matia Chowdhury said, the Jamaat men were involved with the bomb attacks including the August 17 serial bombing across the country. BD Foods owner Momin Ullah, who finances Jamaat, was involved in heroin smuggling to the UK but the government hushed up the issue, the alliance government can imagine the result if any fair election is held. This is why they are planning for election rigging. People will not allow so, he said. On the other hand the failed alliance was now seeking Ershad's inclusion with it.

Sensing people's anger, Khaleda Zia is now running behind Ershad, who had killed her husband, Matia Chowdhury said.

The meeting was also addressed by, among others, Gano Forum Presidium member Pankaj Bhatta-charya, JSD leader Mainuddin Khan Badal, NAP central leader Shahabuddin, Ganotantry party leader Azizul Islam Khan, AL advisory committee member AMA Muhit, Sylhet city Corporation mayor and city AL chief Badar uddin Ahmed Kamran and AL central organizing secretary Sultan Mohammad Mansur. Sylhet district AL chief and co-ordinator of the 14-party alliance ANM Shafique chaired the rally.