Speakers at a seminar here yesterday called for resisting criminalisation of politics by atrophied politicians and screening out the black money holders and terrorists from the political parties.

Politics must be freed from black money holders, corrupt elements and terrorists for achieving the objectives of the country, emphasised the participants at the seminar on reforms at Agrabad Hotel in the port city.

Centre for Government Studies, a think tank, organised the seminar, with Prof Dr Ataur Rahman of Dhaka University in the chair.

The speakers said the country is passing through a critical juncture and the people suffering from high price of essentials.

The people need to fight not with sticks and oars but to restore

the spirit of the War of Liberation imbued with the sense of patriotism to save the nation, they said.

They hailed the January 11 changeover that salvaged the nation from chaos and anarchy. The objective of the change can be fulfilled if honest and patriotic leaders emerge from a free and fair election pledged by the end of next year.

Prof. Hasan Mohammad of Political Science of Chittagong University presented a keynote paper in the seminar.

Jatiya Party leader Mazharul Haque Shah, BNP leader M Nazim Uddin, former vice- chancellor of Islamic University Dr Imamul Haque, Jamaat leader Nurul Amin, JSD (Rab) leader Fahim Uddin, IOJ leader Mufti Izharul Islam, BNP leader Ershadullah, Azizur Rahman, Advocate Abu Hanif and Fazlul Haque also spoke at the seminar.