Menon terms April 30 deadline symbolic

Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon yesterday described the Awami League's deadline of April 30 to oust the government as 'symbolic' in terms of making people more aware of the present government's failure.

While speaking at a programme titled 'Face to Face with Women Journalists', organised by Bangladesh Centre for Development of Journalism and Communication yesterday in the city Menon said that this government, in fact, should not continue ruling even for a day.

Yet a deadline to oust a government is ineffectual these days, rather the idea (of deadline) is a kind of ludicrous, he added.

Forecasting a mass upsurge just around the corner Menon said, "From my experience of mass

upsurges in 1969 and 1990 I feel the rulers now are sitting on a heap of gunpowder that may explode any time."

He observed the government has lost all rights to govern the country, as gruesome crimes and corruption pervade the country thanks to its (the government's) sheer insensitivity to public concerns.

He said the government paid little attention to incidents like the gruesome killing of the businessman in old Dhaka and the huge arms haul in Chittagong, where at stake was the security of the country.

On waging a united movement against the government, Menon hinted that anti-government movement may get a 'unified platform' with Awami League in the course of time following national issue related movements on the street.

"We have seen three terms of elected government, but their activities and attitudes are almost the same. So, ousting this government can not be a permanent solution without ousting the criminalisation in politics," Menon observed.

He, however, mentioned that if an agreement is reached on some basic issues like the reform of the Election Commission and election system, an alliance with the main opposition Awami League might come into being.