AL chief skips Hazari, blames BNP MPs in Feni for terror

Awami League President and Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina addresses a public meeting at Mireswarai Pilot High School in Chittagong yesterday. Photo: STAR

"BNP lawmakers Sayeed Iskander, brother of the prime minister, and Joynal Abedin Faruk, known as VP Joynal, have private bands of gangsters," she said, and termed the MPs 'godfathers' of criminals.

On her way to Chittagong yesterday noon, Hasina made the accusation at a rally at Mahipal in Feni district.

The opposition leader, however, did not say anything about Joynal Hazari, a district AL leader who was a source of embarrassment to the party before the last general elections.

Hundreds of AL leaders and workers attended the meeting. The supporters of Hazari joined the rally with banners demanding withdrawal of cases against him, and some of them wore 'special dresses' of the 'Steering Committee' and 'Class Committee' formed by Hazari.

The AL chief asked them not to chant slogans in support of Hazari.

Hasina urged the people to launch a united movement against the present BNP-Jamaat-led four-party alliance government. " The days are not far away when we will form a democratic government by toppling the present rulers for their misdeeds and misrule," she added.

Hasina blamed the government for the recent killings of AL leaders and workers across the country. AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil and Joint Secretary Obaidul Kader also addressed the rally.

Hasina addressed two more public gatherings at Mirersarai and Sitakunda.

The AL chief will address a public meeting at the historic Laldighi Maidan in Chittagong at 3:00am today.

After addressing the Laldighi Maidan meeting, the former prime minister is scheduled to meet journalists, lawyers, physicians, academicians and teachers separately at Chittagong Circuit House. Time permitting, she may also meet the leaders of the three units of Chittagong AL and its front organisations, party sources said.

In the morning, Hasina will visit the residences of some slain AL leaders to express sympathy with the family members.

Some central AL leaders and at least 15 lawmakers are accompanying her, sources said.

This is her first 'organisational visit' to the port city in nearly two years since the last parliamentary elections in October 2001.