The Hindu : Awami League plans `tougher movement'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 08, 2004

International

International

Awami League plans `tougher movement'

By Haroon Habib

DHAKA, FEB. 7. The main Opposition party in Bangladesh, Awami League, is preparing for what it said a `tougher movement' against the Government. Preparations for the countrywide agitation are afoot following the Government's `indifference' to the party's one-month ultimatum to meet its 15-point demand, a senior party leader told The Hindu .

He also said the agitation schedule would be announced after a hartal on February 12.

The party has decided to turn the 15-point plan into a one-point `oust-government' movement, if there is no positive response to the ultimatum before its expiry on February 10.

The agitation plan includes mass rallies in divisional headquarters, `foot marches' and `train marches' across the country, rail-road barricades and hartal for longer periods.

The party president and Leader of the Opposition, Sheikh Hasina, gave the ultimatum from a massive rally in Dhaka on January 10. The 15-point charter includes checking the breakdown of law and order and the unabated price hike of essentials, stopping corruption and halting `anti-liberation' activities.

However, it is learnt that some left-leaning parties are still not eager to form a joint platform of Opposition parties. But the former president and BNP's co-founder, Badruddoza Chowdhury, and the Gono Forum chief, Kamal Hossain, are for a greater unity "in the fight against law and order downslide and corruption'.

The authorities on Friday barred the former President and Opposition Jatiya Party chairman, H.M. Ershad, from leaving the country. Mr. Ershad, who is now critical of the Government, was scheduled to leave Dhaka on a six-day visit to Sri Lanka and Maldives with his new wife and son.

He was stopped without being given a specific reason at the Dhaka airport at the directives of the "higher authorities".

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