AL moves to consolidate grand alliance

Ruling Awami League is moving to strengthen the unity of the grand alliance faced with the main opposition BNP's anti-government movement that includes hartals.
The party will hold a meeting with the components of the 14-party coalition tomorrow, a day before BNP's countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal.
The meeting will be held at Awami League President Sheikh Hasina's political office in Dhanmondi with acting party chief Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury in the chair.
"Our main objective is to sit with our 14-party coalition partners to boost coordination among us. We must make coordinated effort to face opposition's upcoming movements and their conspiracies against the government and implement our electoral pledges," AL Presidium Member Obaidul Quader told The Daily Star.
The overall socio-economic and political situation of the country would come up for discussion at the meeting, AL Deputy Office Secretary Mrinal Kanti Das said in a press release.
AL insiders said after the 14-party coalition meeting, the ruling party would talk with HM Ershad's Jatiya Party to strengthen political ties.
The AL already had informal talks with the partners of the 14-party including Rashed Khan Menon's Workers Party of Bangladesh, Hasanul Haque Inu's Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Dilip Barua's Samyabadi Dal.
AL Presidium Member Kazi Zafarullah, following the party chief's directives, sat with all the components to know about their views on the government and how it should move ahead.
He said from now on meetings with the coalition partners would be held regularly.
Rashed Khan Menon told The Daily Star that the 14-party combine would face as a whole any political threat and movement of the opposition.
Industries Minister and Samyabadi Dal General Secretary Dilip Barua said the 14-party meeting is very crucial under the current circumstances.