The ruling Awami League-led 14-party alliance yesterday urged the government to release the detained lawmakers of the opposition BNP if they had not committed any serious offences.
“What is the problem in releasing the opposition party’s lawmakers if they did not commit any serious offence? The speaker can take initiatives in this regard,” alliance spokesman and Awami League Presidium member Mohammad Nasim said.
Nasim was briefing reporters after a meeting of the alliance held at AL President Sheikh Hasina’s Dhanmondi office.
Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon presided over the meeting.
Two MPs of the opposition BNP – MK Anwar and Barkatullah Bulu – are now in prison.
Police arrested BNP standing committee member MK Anwar on Monday on charge of causing “religious provocation,” and they detained BNP Joint Secretary General Barkatullah Bulu on May 15 in front of the party’s Nayapaltan office just after a press conference there.
Speaking to the reporters, Nasim once again called upon the main opposition BNP to “shun the politics of destruction” and join the upcoming parliament session and place their proposal on the structure of the poll-time government.
“Come to parliament and take part in the discussion – a solution will come through talks,” the former home minister said.
He requested the BNP leadership not to leave the House on any ground as “such an opportunity may not come again.”
Regarding the upcoming city corporation elections, he alleged that vested interests had been spreading misleading information during the polls campaign using religion, and thus creating religious fanaticism.
“It is clearly a violation of the Representation of the People Order,” he said, urging the Election Commission to take immediate action against such campaigners.
Nasim asked the leaders and activists of the 14-party alliance and all pro-liberation forces to remain alert against such quarters. He also asked them to give all-out efforts to make the candidates of the 14-paty alliance winners.
Meeting sources said the central leaders of the alliance would visit the four city corporation areas to drum up support in favour of the mayoral candidates.
Alliance leaders Suranjit Sengupta, Matia Chowdhury, Abdus Samad, Sharif Nurul Ambia, Nurur Rahman Selim, Wajedul Islam Khan and Zakir Hossain also attended the meeting.
