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Jalil remark irrelevant

Hasina says he should quit as MP before questioning polls

Staff Correspondent
In her first reaction to veteran Awami League (AL) leader Abdul Jalil's recent remark on the ninth parliamentary election, Prime Minister and party chief Sheikh Hasina has termed it "irrelevant", and said he should have resigned as a lawmaker before raising any question about the polls in which he also was elected.
"Why is he [Jalil] making the election an issue nine months after the party (AL) assumed power?" Hasina posed the question at a press conference in New York yesterday.
In an interview with London-based Bangla TV recently, former AL general secretary Jalil said the party's landslide victor}' in the December 29 parliamentary election came through an "understanding". His remark triggered criticism in and outside the AL. and drew kudos from the opposition BNP
Sheikh Hasina said, "He (Jalil) was given party nomination (for contesting the election) and has been elected. Has he been elected that
way (through understanding)? He should resign before raising any such question (about the election)."
Following Hasina's reaction, AL General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam also resented Jalil's remark.
According to UNB, American News Agency and private television ATN Bangla reports, the prime minister said, "It (Jalil's statement) is like a man cutting the branch (of a tree) on which he is sitting. Let him speak. I don't have any headache about it."
Asked if her party would take any action against Jalil, she said it would decide on that later.
The AL president mentioned that none (except jalil) has raised any question about propriety of the election that has been recognised as free and fair both nationally and internationally.
Asked whether her government would take any action against former chief adviser
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Fakhruddin Ahmed and exarmy chief Gen (retd) Moeen U Ahmed (during caretaker govt 's tenure) for sending her to jail, and for other 'unlawful' activities, the prime minister she said they don't believe in politics of vendetta.
"Should a man bite a dog if it bites him?" asked Hasina.
On the caretaker government system, she said it was introduced to hold free and fair election withio a stipulated time frame. So there should be a solution to the issue of time frame.
Asked if her government faces any international pressure for not trying the war criminals, Hasina said, "Don't pay heed to rumours." The killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, four national leaders, grenade attackers and smugglers of 10-truck arms wouldalso be tried, she said.
Those who committed corruption would also face trial, Hasina added.
Asked about extra- judicial killings, the premier said she is against it. But if a criminal opens fire, law-enforcers hit by bullets cannot sit idle.
On the demarcation of maritime boundary, Hasina said her government is seeking resolution of the problem through talks with the two next-door neighbours--India and Myanmar-keeping in view the international laws.
Meanwhile, speaking at a
discussion in the capital yesterday, Syed Ashraful Islam criticised Jalil's statement, saying, "There is no reason to think that the daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (Hasina) can make any compromise for power."
Awami Jubo League organised the programme to mark the 62nd birth anniversary' of Hasina.
Ashraf, also minister for LGRD and cooperatives, said those making «uch- statements are trying to undermine Sheikh Hasina and her government She could have become prime minis -ter much earlier had she made any compromise, headded.
"Sheikh Hasina did not accept a proposal to become prime minister even without contesting election during the past caretaker government's tenure," Ashraf said.
Earlier, AL presidium members Matia Chowdhury and Obaidul Quader had said Jalil's fate would be decided at the AL Central Working Committee meeting on October 3.
Those who spoke at yesterday's discussion included acting AL President Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Presidium Member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, prime minister's advisers HT Imam and Syed Modasser Ali, State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Whip Mirza Azam and Prof Sultana Safi.