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AL urges all parties to shun poll boycott culture

Staff Correspondent
The Awami League (AL) yesterday decided to participate in the upcoming city corporation and municipality elections with other components of the 14-party combine, and members of civil society and pro-Liberation War forces under the banner of Nagorik Committee.
The decision came at an emergency meeting of the AL Presidium chaired by party's acting President Zillur Rahman at his Gulshan residence.
"We will take part in the polls
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under the banner on Nagorik Committee," AL acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam told reporters after the meeting where the AL urged all political parties to avoid . the culture otooycotting election.
The meeting demanded that the government send ailing AL leader Mohammad Nasim abroad for better treatmen t within 24 hours.
The AL will nominate candidates for the local government polls scheduled for August 4 on the basis of recommendations from party leaders in the four city corporations and nine municipalities.
The party's central committee or a designated organising secretary will help find candidates if the local leaders face any problem, sources said.
Ashraf said at the dialogue with the government on July 3. they would discuss lifting of the state of emergency, date for the parliamentary poll, permanent release of AL President Sheikh Hasina and withdrawal of all false charges brought against her, • release of all political detainees, price hike of essentials and trial of war criminals, among others.
He said they would start holding meetings today with the components of the 14-party combine and mem-
bers of civil society and proLiberation War forces.
They would decide including components of the AL-led grand electoral alliance in the Nagorik Committee after discussing with their allies.
Asked about the BNP's stance against participating in the local body polls, Ashraf said, "We want all political parties to take part in the polls. The political parties should give up the culture of boycotting elections. However, it is the matter of a party or coalition whether to take part in the poll.’
On BNP's allegation that the AL has had a negotiation with the government, he urged the BNP to snow restraint in making comments about theAL
As politics and all political parties are presently in deep crisis it would not be right to make the situation more complex by making such comments, he added.
On the ban on teachers' contesting the local government polls, Ashraf said teachers are the backbone of the local government * If they cannot take part in the local government poll, how will the nation get educated persons?" he said, terming the Election Commission decision "ridiculous".