LDA calls rally for Sunday protesting at attacks on BNP, Mancha

The Left Democratic Alliance on Saturday announced protest rally in Dhaka for Sunday protesting at police and ruling Awami League attacks on the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, the Ganatantra Mancha and other opposition parties during Saturday’s sit-ins.

The alliance of six left-wing political parties would hold the rally at Paltan crossing at 4:00pm, alliance leaders said in a joint statement.

The leaders also condemned the police and AL attacks on the opposition parties and alliances.

‘The language in which the leaders have addressed the so-called peace rally of the Awami League shows that they are trying to lead the country into a confrontational situation,’ the statement said.

It also said that attacks on opposition programmes arrests of opposition activists must be stopped.

Elections must be held under a non-partisan caretaker government as it has turned into a mass demand, the leaders said.

The joint statement was issued by LDA coordinator Masood Rana, Communist Party of Bangladesh president Mohammad Shah Alam and its general secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince, Socialist Party of Bangladesh general secretary Bazlur Rashid Firoz, Bangladesh Revolutionary Communist League general secretary Iqbal Kabir Zahid, Democratic Revolutionary Party general secretary Moshrafa Mishu and Socialist Party of Bangladesh executive president Abdul Ali.

‘It has already become a mass demand. But the Awami League government is ruthlessly suppressing the movement of the opposition parties without paying heed to that demand. It is clear to the people that Awami League is going to organise a farcical election once again. It cannot be allowed by the people,’ the statement said.

‘We demand immediate dissolution of the parliament and the resignation of the Awami League government. We want to make it clear that no other solution is possible or acceptable in this situation except to form a non-partisan supervisory government and holding elections under it,’ the statement added.

Although 37 political parties and alliances are on a simultaneous movement to oust the government, the LDA is holding programmes separately.