AL to disband fronts, pick EC form today
Courtesy Daily Star 8/10/08
Staff Correspondent
The Awami League (AL) is ready to sever links with all front and associate organisations and foreign chapters in a bid to get registered with the Election Commission (EC) and will collect the registration form today.
The Central Working Committee of the
But before that the
The issue of severing links with the associate organisations was discussed elaborately at a meeting of the AL Presidium at acting party President Zillur Rahman's Gulshan residence.
"After bringing amendments in the party constitution we will apply to the Election Commission for registration," said acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam after the three-hour long meeting.
Talking to The Daily Star, AL Presidium member Motia Chowdhury said the matter regarding cutting links would be finalised at the meeting of the party's central working committee. She said they would talk to the EC today and finalise the matters to be amended.
Motia said after cutting link with the party, the associate organisations would run independently.
The meeting asked the EC not to allow local observers during the upcoming parliamentary election.
According to clause 25(1) of the
But the Representation of the People Order (RPO) prohibits formation by any political party of any affiliated or associated organisation or body consisting of teachers or students of any educational institution, employees or labourers of any financial, commercial or industrial institution, or members of any other profession to get registration with the EC.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting, Syed Ashraf said the electoral code of conduct has one clause saying the EC can cancel any nomination paper even if it is valid.
"Inclusion of the clause now surprised us," he said, adding that the provision was not discussed at the three talks they had with the EC. "We will ask them where has the clause come from."
Ashraf said they would also want to know about the RPO revised a couple of days back as they did not get any copy of it yet.
On the
"We will also write to countries that normally fund different organisations of local observers through the Asia Foundation, asking them not to give them funds," he said.
Terming former JaiJaiDin editor Shafik Rehman and Taleya Rehman BNP partisans, Ashraf asked how their organisation Democracy Watch will observe the election neutrally and independently.
He said they would soon hold talks with the components of both the AL-led 14-party combine and the grand electoral alliance.
On party nominations, Ashraf said it would depend on formation of the grand alliance.
Recommendations for five candidates would come from the grassroots level and the AL Parliamentary Board would finalise one, he said. But in the case of grand alliance, they would finalise the process of nomination after the alliance is formally formed once AL President Sheikh Hasina returns home.
He said the AL Parliamentary Board would formally sit after declaration of the election schedule.
On the state of emergency, Ashraf said the government could keep black money holders, criminals and corrupt people away from election through implementing existing laws and rules and there is no need to keep emergency in force for that reason.
He said they would discuss the matter with the government.
If the emergency is in force and if any political party does not take part in the poll, that party would get at least one valid reason to boycott the poll, he said, adding that the government should not give that chance to any party.
Ashraf said Hasina has informed them that she could return home on September 26 but they have not got any final date.
About HM Ershad's declaration of candidates at different electoral constituencies, he said Ershad is announcing his party's nominations, not those of the alliance. "After formation of the grand alliance we would formally publish a list of our candidates," he said.
About the
On the
Syed Ashraf said they are concerned about Hasina's security when she returns home. He said they would apply to the government for her proper security. "I have already talked to the government in this regard and they assured me that they will ensure her foolproof security," said Ashraf.
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