The Awami League (AL) and the Jatlya Party (JP) will observe a countrywide eight-hour hartal beginning at six this morning.

The AL hartal aims at pressing home its demands, including the repeal of the Indemnity Ordinance which bars the trial of the killers of Sheikh MuJIbur Rahman, the trial of the Jamaat chief Golam Azam as a war crinanaT in a special tribunal, repeat of the Anti -Terrorism Act. a halt to the large-scale retrenchment of public sector workers and increased subsidy for agriculture.

The AL announced the hartal from a public rally held at the Manik Miah Avenue on August 20.

On the other hand, the JP on September 28 also called for today's hartal demanding restoration of the Upazila system, mid-term parliamentary elections under a care taker government. release of its party chief former President H M Ershad — Jailed on charges of corruption — and an end to political harassment of the JP activists.

The AL Is also scheduled to hold a public rally at the Bangabandhu Avenue in the city at four this afternoon.

At the rally, the AL leaders are expected to raise a few ’burning Issues' like corruption by the cabinet ministers and the need for a united resistance against religion-baaed politics of the Jamaat-e-lslami. Bangladesh.

The AL may also announce a fresh agitation programme. However, such programmes are unlikely to include further hartals in the immediate future, an influential leader of the party told The Daily Star last night.

The JP. on the other hand, has not planned any rally in the city today. However, JP activists will picket at 21 specific points of the city, a JP leader told The Dally Star.

Meanwhile, a large number of smaller parties. Including the Bangladesh Janata Dal led by former BNP minister KM Obal-dur Rahman, the Progressive Nationalist Party led by Sha-khawat Hossain Neelu -• another former BNP man — have supported the AL-JP called hartal.