Polling day shifted, grand rally held in Dhaka

DHAKA, DEC 18 (Agencies): Tougher days loom ahead of politically-volatile Bangladesh with a dawn-to-dusk strike call on December 21 by Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League-led 14-party alliance that rallied here today to press the interim government to bring about electoral reforms even as the election commission shifted the poll date to January 22.

Tens of thousands of slogan-chanting activists of the ‘grand alliance’ of 14 major parties and their like-minded supporters turned up at the capital where security was tightened in view of the scheduled demonstrations.

Former Prime Minister Hasina vowed to the gathering that she would not allow the elections to be held under the present schedule and called for a nationwide general strike on Thursday to push home her demands of ensuring fair polls.

“No elections will be allowed under the present schedule.

Elections will only be held after publishing the correct voters list under a new schedule,” she said.

Keeping in mind the upcoming Hindu festival of Saraswati Puja falling January 23, the same day as that of the general elections, Palatan Maidan, Bangladesh’s election commission, shifted polling day to January 22.

A delegation from the Hindu community had petitioned for the change.

Hasina also announced the formation of a ‘Mahajote’(great alliance) after former military dictator Hussain Muhammad Ershad, former President Badruddoza Chowdhury of the Liberal Democratic Party, the Zaker Party and leaders of Islami Oikya Jote factions joined the rally.

Dubbing caretaker government chief Iajuddin Ahmed as “Yesuddin” and a “stooge” of the BNP, Hasina alleged that Ahmed, who is also the President of Bangladesh, has failed to prove his neutrality.