Blockade to go on until 5-pt demand met
Says 14-party
Staff Correspondent
The 14-party alliance yesterday said their ongoing non-stop countrywide blockade programme would continue until President and Chief Adviser (CA) to the Caretaker Government (CG) Iajuddin Ahmed met their five-point demand.The Awami League-led alliance's five-point demand includes the demand for resignation of the president from the CA post and reconstitution of the Election Commission (EC). "We placed our five-point demand before the CA at a meeting yesterday [Saturday] and he was supposed to let us know about his decision. As we have not received any decision from him, our blockade programme will continue," 14-party Coordinator Abdul Jalil told a press briefing at the Awami League's (AL) Dhanmondi office last evening. Jalil, also the AL general secretary, said he has heard that three advisers are to meet both the AL and BNP party chiefs. "But, we have neither got any response from them about meeting our demands nor any information about meeting us yet," he said. Jalil made these remarks when three advisers had ended the meeting with BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at Hawa Bhaban in the capital and were on their way to meet AL chief Sheikh Hasina. The 14-party alliance reduced their demands to five points from their previous 11 points. Their five-point demand also include the demand for updating the voter roll again in accordance with the High Court directives, announcement of fresh polls schedule, correcting and publishing the updated voter list and neutralisation and depoliticisation of the administration. Protesting the killing of a Bangladesh Chhatra League leader in Rajshahi by members of the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), the AL leader demanded the activities of Rab be kept suspended during the election time. Thanking all for making yesterday's blockade programme successful, Jalil protested at the attacks on 14-party leaders and activists in different parts of the country during the blockade programme. Senior 14-party leaders Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Hasanul Haque Inu, Nurul Islam were present at the briefing. After the briefing, many of the leaders rushed to Hasina's residence where the three advisers Justice Fazlul Haque, CM Shafi Sami and Mahbubul Alam were supposed the hold a meeting with 14-party leaders.
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