Awami League hardens its stance

The Awami League party of Sheikh Hasina yesterday hardened its stance as party leaders called upon the people to begin a mass movement to throw out the government to save the countrymen from torture and misery and safeguard national independence.

Their angry reaction came a day after police beat up senior leaders and activists of the opposition party to break their demonstrations during Wednesday's hartal. "We'll have to oust this repressive Khaleda Zia government, otherwise the independence of the country will cease to exist," Awami League acting president Abdus Samad Azad said.

The Awami League organised a meeting at Bangabandhu Square marking the Homecoming Day of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. On this day in 1972, the independence leader returned home after 10-month captivity in Pakistan jail.

Azad said this government is not even allowing the people to exercise democratic right by staging street demonstrations. "As she (Begum Zia) is ordering 'pitao (beat)' Awami League, we should shout 'hatao (remove)' this government."

The acting Awami League chief observed, in view of the state of affairs, a question now arose whether any government was existing in this country or not. He protested government's action on Awami League leaders during Wednesday's hartal.

Azad told his audience: "There is no democracy in the country, the government is resorting to torture instead of making the parliament effective." The Awami League leader asked the government not to change the name of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) conference centre named after Bangabandhu.

Party leaders Syeda Johra Tajuddin, general secretary Zillur Rahman, Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed, Abdul Jalil, Surangit Sengupta, Matia Chowdhury, Mohammad Hanif, Ahsanullah Master, advocate Kazi Iqbal Hossain, Harunur Rashid Hawlder and Chhatra League leader Bahadur Bepari also addressed the meeting.

Johra Tajuddin alleged this government was trying to confuse the people by suppressing the truth, but truth cannot be suppressed. She alerted the people about the "evil activities" of the government.

Mentioning an alarming spurt in killings, rapes, torture and terrorism, she said people should unite to rescue the people from a possible disaster.

Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury observed there is no democracy in the country and expressed doubt whether national flag, and national map would exist when the government is "patronising the Razakars (group of collaborators)".

Abdur Razzak told the meeting that communalism has raised its head in the country again under the protection of four-party government. Referring to torture and repression he said the people would not tolerate it anymore.

Expressing concern over the price hike of fuel-gas and essentials, he said there is no alternative to building a movement against this government.

Tofail Ahmed said this government utterly failed in running the administration and increased the price of fuel when the price of fuel is the lowest ever on the international market.

Suranjit Sengupta alleged this government introduced fascism in the country unleashing the "Gestapo" forces on the innocent people to continue its torture and repression.

Matia Chowdhury, who was beaten by police during Wednesday's hartal, said this government snatched the democratic rights of the people. "Bullets cannot suppress the people's movement," she said, warning the government that it will make a great mistake if it tries to suppress the movement using bullets and batons.