Leaders of the 14-party alliance yesterday said they are ready to enforce another phase of indefinite countrywide blockade from tomorrow if its demands are not fulfilled by today.

"We will withdraw the blockade if the president resigns from the post of chief adviser and appoints a non-partisan person as per the constitution to create a congenial atmosphere for a free and fair election," 14-party Coordinator Abdul Jalil said at a press briefing at Dhanmondi AL office.

All educational institutions and transports carrying hajj pilgrims will be out of the purview of the blockade programme, Jalil said.

AL President Sheikh Hasina will meet Iajuddin and other advisers to the caretaker government this evening at the Bangabhaban to remind them of her alliance's 11-point demand before going into the blockade programme tomorrow.

Hasina accused the president of playing "partisan" role and violating the constitution and set the deadline last Monday. She asked the president to step down from the post of chief adviser by Saturday.

The BNP-led four-party alliance meanwhile announced that it will continue its demonstration programmes across the country.

After Iajuddin's assuming the office of chief adviser, the 14-party alliance neither rejected nor accepted him, and said it would observe his activities to see if he is neutral.

Within a couple of days, it brought the charge of violating the constitution against the chief adviser. Since then the 14-party alliance along with a few other political parties has been demonstrating for his resignation.

Their other demands include reconstitution of the Election Commission (EC) through removal of the controversial election commissioners, rescheduling the polls after correction and publication of the updated voter list, depoliticisation of the administration, and cancellation of 300 "politically appointed" upazila election officers.

The leaders of 14-party alliance will sit today to finalise its strategy over settling the bottom line of its agitation.

"If the chief adviser takes decision after discussing with other advisers and takes necessary steps to create a congenial atmosphere for a free and fair election after carrying out necessary reforms in the Election Commission, we will move back from our demand of his resignation," a 14-party leader said preferring anonymity.

Not only the election commissioners, all election officials, including the deputy commissioners, superintendents of police and upazila nirbahi officers, are loyal to the BNP-Jamaat alliance, he alleged.

"If the president takes action only to make the administration and the Election Commission neutral and correct the updated voter list, we will participate in the next election," said the leader, who is a close aide to Hasina.

Talking to The Daily Star, city 14-party Coordinator and city AL General Secretary Mofazzel Hossain Chowdhury Maya said they will put blockades at 32 strategic points in the capital. The alliance also plans to hold rallies and marches in the capital and other parts of the country.

The alliance leaders held a series of meetings with its city and district unit leaders in the last couple of days to make the blockade programme a success.

They also held a meeting yesterday with Gono Forum leaders with Mostafa Mohsin Mantu in the chair. AL Joint General Secretary Obaidul Quader said at the meeting that they will resist any "blueprint" election designed by the BNP-Jamaat alliance.

Different political parties, including Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) led Jatiya Oikya Front and some Islamic parties, will also be in the streets.

14-PARTY BRIEFING
Branding Iajuddin as the "main barrier" to holding a free and fair election, AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil said only the president could save the country from the conflicts, instability and uncertainty by resigning from the post of chief adviser.

He said the chief adviser has further politicised the administration instead of depoliticising it. "His every step is marked with intention to implement the blueprint of the BNP-Jamaat coalition and for this reason Dr Iajuddin has chosen the way to violate the constitution repeatedly," Jalil said. "He has ignored not only the demands of the people and 14-party, but also the opinion of the members of the advisory council."

Referring to Thursday's mayhem in the High Court, Jalil alleged that the president has even destroyed the highest constitutional institution only to protect his position as chief adviser.

"Those who want to steal people's votes knew that the court directives would go against them, and for this they misused the highest court," Jalil said.

Instead of reconstituting the EC, the chief adviser has made it more controversial by appointing two more "controversial" persons, one of whom even sought nomination from the BNP, he added.

Terming the chief justice's stay order on three writ petitions "unconstitutional", AL Presidium Member Suranjit Sengupta told The Daily Star that they will reject the chief justice until he cancels the order.

Senior 14-party leaders Tofail Ahmed, Suranjit Sengupta, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Obaidul Quader, Rashed Khan Menon, Hasanul Haque Inu, Abdur Rahman, Pankaj Bhattacharya and Dilip Barua were present at the press briefing.