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AL now wants polls by July

Asks govt to hand over power to elected govt to end present crisis

Staff Correspondent
The Awami League (AL) yesterday demanded general elections by the middle of the year, moving away from the announced electoral roadmap, so that an elected government can come to power and resolve the prevailing crisis.
"To get rid of the present situation, the polls should be held by June-July and power will have to be handed over immediately to an elected government," AL Presidium Member Suranjit Sengupta told the reporters after a meeting of the AL Presidium.
The caretaker government has failed to meet the expectations of the people for which they had assumed power, the AL observed at the meeting of its highest policymaking body.
The meeting held with party's acting president Zillur Rahman in the chair also demanded release of the detained party chief Sheikh Hasina and sending her abroad for better treatment.
Saying that the country has been witnessing a severe crisis due to skyrocketing prices of rice and other essentials, the meeting demanded the government bring down the prices of rice within people's reach at any cost as early as possible.
The party also expressed grave concern over the remarks of Food Adviser Tapan Chowdhury who had blamed international price hike for the soaring prices of rice and said the government can do nothing in this regard.
The party asked the government to introduce subsidy in rice, ration-
ing, OMS shops, food for work, test relief, VGF and VGD to tackle the situation.
AL Presidium Member Tofail Ahmed said despite repeated requests, the government did not initiate dialogues with the political parties to resolve the prevailing crises, including price hike of essentials.
National unity is necessary to face the current 'disaster,' he said adding that the administration has failed to ensure smooth supply of fertiliser as well as food.
The people's hope for good governance with the promise of which the caretaker government had come to power has not been fulfilled, Suranjit said.
Motia Chowdhury observed that the government's neglect in
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taking timely actions to control the price hike of essentials is the main cause of the crisis.
The AL would observe Bangabandhu's Homecoming Day on January 10 in a befitting manner. AL Acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam said the party has already chalked out elaborate programmes including a discussion on January 10 at Institution of Engineers Bangladesh Auditorium to mark the day.