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AL Sits With Govt Today

Lifting of emergency, polls date AL priorities

Staff Correspondent
The Awami League (AL) in its formal dialogue with the caretaker government today will place several demands including the withdrawal of the state of emergency and a specific date for the general election.
According to AL leaders, the party will put emphasis on its six-point demand which includes ■unconditional and permanem ■release of party President Sheikh Hasina and withdrawal of all "false
charges" against her, trial of war criminals and curbing price hike of essentials.
A nine-member AL delegation, headed by its acting President Zillur Rahman, will join the talks. Other delegation members are Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed. Suranjit Sengupta, Motia Chowdhury. Ataur Rahman Khan Kaiser and acting General Secretary Seyd Ashraful Islam.
Zillur Rahman would make a formal speech at the dialogue.
The AL had earlier threatened to boycott the talks if the government did not release Hasina, who was finally set free for eight weeks on medical grqunds on June! L ■
The AL president later directed her party leaders to go to the formal dialogue with the government.
Besides the six-point demand, the AL would ask the government not to hold elections to Upazila Parishads before the parliamentary polls.
"At the dialogue we'll speak in the greater interest of the country, including democracy. We'll not merely press our party interests," AL presidium member Motia Chowdhury told The Daily Star last night.
"We'll also urge the government to release our sick party leaders on humanitarian grounds," she said.
"We want a meaningful dialogue with the government," acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam said at a Jubo League meeting at the AL headquarters on Bangabandhu Avenue yesterday. 'r~ ^tiling that'Vncertcimty' Has shrouded everything'in the country, he wondered whether the national elections would be held at all.
"We want to reach a consensus on all things including a specific date for the parliamentary polls and lifting of the state of emergency,” he said.
Ashraful said congenial atmosphere for a free, fair and credible election is not possible keeping the state of emergency in force.
He asked the government to reinstate the Emergency Power Rules 72 hours into the city corporation and municipality elections.