Staff Correspondent

The Awami League on Wednesday demanded unconditional release of the party president, Sheikh Hasina, to enable her to go abroad for treatment and said that possible arrangements like releasing her on parole should not be subject to any conditions.

‘The government should not demean Sheikh Hasina by imposing conditions if she is given parole for treatment abroad. We demand unconditional release of our leader’, Zillur told reporters at his Gulshan residence.

Describing Hasina’s health condition as very critical, he also said steps should be taken immediately to send her to the United States for treatment as advised by expert physicians.

‘I can give assurances that she will return to the country after receiving necessary treatment’, Zillur added. He thanked the government for giving the AL general secretary, Abdul Jalil, parole enabling him to go abroad for treatment.

Asked whether the government’s reported move to send Sheikh Hasina abroad was part of the ploy to implement the so-called minus-two formula, Zillur avoided a direct answer saying, ‘I pray to the Almighty that the country does not fall into such a situation.’

The AL veteran opposed the reported government move to hold local body elections before the national polls and renewed his call for immediate announcement of the date for the stalled ninth parliamentary polls. Zillur reminded the interim government that its responsibility was to hold the parliamentary polls.

‘It has no right to arrange local government elections’, he said, adding that his party also wanted local government polls but not at the moment as it should be arranged by an elected government. He wondered how local government elections could be held at this stage when preparation of voters’ roll had not been completed all over the country.

He also demanded immediate lifting the state of emergency and withdrawal of the ban on politics to ensure an environment conducive to the polls. Earlier, Homna thana (Comilla) unit AL president, Abdul Majid, and Georgia (US) unit general secretary, Humayun Kabir Kawser, handed over Taka one lakh each to the acting AL president for the party fund.

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