The post-Eid politics is set to generate much heat as tlic mainstream opposition parties are now working out the issues and finalise the next course of agitation to intensify the movement against the BNP-led coalition government.

Senior leaders of the opposition arc now holding discussions to launch a combined street agitation next month over a number of issues including reforms of the caretaker government system to ensure a free and fair next general election, sources said.

The leaders of the main opposi- tion Awami League (AL), left leaning parties under the 11-Party Alliance and the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) sat twice last week to discuss the issues to be highlighted during the post-Eid movement.

Sources said the opposition leaders meet again today at Gono Porum General Secretary Saifuddin Ahmed Manik’s residence with concrete proposals from the parties concerned about reforms of the caretaker government system.

The meeting may also finalise the planned agitation for the next month, a source said.

Apart from the caretaker government reform, the parties will high-

light three major issues - law and order downslide, price spiral of essentials and corruption by the % ruling alliance loyalists — in their oust-govemment movement.

About possible programmes after the Eid, the opposition camp sources hinted they may form a human chain across the country -from Teknaf to Tentulia - to prove what they said were people’s 'no-confidence' in the government.

The opposition leaders in their November 2 and 7 meetings discussed the proposal to form such a human chain as the opposition’s 50km human chain from Gazipur to Narayanganj on September 22 was successful and widely appreciated.

Before the formation of the next human chain, the opposition party leaders will visit across the country to mobile district and upazila level leaders and activists and drum up support of the common people for their programme.

"We will form the nationwide human chain in mid December and we are considering a possible date that is December 15," said an AL leader.

About today's meeting, JSD President Hasanul Haq Inu said, "We will chalk out the programmes that will be enforced after Eid. We will also discuss ways to give the ongoing movement of proliberation and progressive forces if combined shape."

"We do not want anymore break in the oust-government movement, "he added.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) Mujahidul Islam Selim how-cvcr said the possibility of launching an oust-government movement from a single platform with the AL is very thin. "We will go for simultaneous movement with similar programmes from respective party positions."

"We have agreed to launch a coordinated movement against the misdeeds of the present government." the CPB leader said. "We want the next general elections to be free from black money and muscle power."

AL Joint General Secretary Obaidul Quader said the main opposition party would continue its efforts to unite pro-democracy and pro-liberation forces and work out action programmes to free the nation from the prevailing "disastrous" situation.

"Tomorrow’s meeting will finalise the concrete proposals of the opposition parties about reforms of the caretaker government system," he toldThe Daily Star yesterday.

The AL has been demanding reforms of the system for quite some time but it is still unclear what sort of reforms it wants. Party insiders said they want neutral persons as the next caretaker government chief and his advisors.

"The person who is supposed to head the next caretaker government is loyal to the present rulers," said an AL leader. "So we want a chief advisor who will be neutral and acceptable to all," he added without elaborating the matter.

Besides, the main opposition party is considering a demand for strengthening the Election Commission and giving the election related tasks to EC's own officials instead of deputy commissioners who are directly under the government.

Introducing voters’ identity card is another demand of the party.

Asked about the possible reforms, AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil in a recent press conference said, "We want nomination of advisors to the interim government in consultation with the political parties having representation in the JatiyaSangsad."

The AL leaders will discuss the reform proposals with the party chief, Sheikh Hasina, when she returns home from the US at the end of this month.