AL calls hartal on August 16

The party will also organise a public rally at the Paltan Maidan in Dhaka on August 31 for the realisation of the demand.

The decisions came from a presidium meeting of the party held at its Dhanmondi office with AL chief and Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

The meeting also finalised a month-long programme to observe August 15, death anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, as the national mourning day.

The programmes include placing of wreaths at the portrait of the Bangabandhu, discussions, blood donations and mourning processions.

Referring to yesterday's attack on the general students and Chhatra League leaders and adherents at Dhaka University, the meeting held the government responsible for the violence.

There was no session jam at the university under the AL government as a peaceful academic atmosphere prevailed there, the meeting said. "But now hoodlums backed by the BNP-Jamaat alliance government are up for destroying the congenial atmosphere at Bangladesh's highest seat of learning," it alleged.

The meeting called upon all to raise their voice against what it termed the tyrant government.

The meeting also decided to send a team of central leaders to Sylhet to resolve the infighting in the Jubo League, the youth front of the party, and take stern disciplinary action against the troublemakers.

The belligerent factions of Sylhet district unit of Jubo League fought a gun battle in their triennial conference on Tuesday in the presence of central AL leaders.