<i>AL fulfilled pledges</i>
Awami League leader Amir Hossain Amu has claimed that his party has fulfilled most pledges of “Tin Joter Ruprekha,” a 1990 joint declaration of three alliances led by AL, BNP and left-leaning parties.
The AL stalwart, who was in the front line of the anti-Ershad movement in the late 1980s, said his party has been trying to uphold the spirit of the 1990 mass uprising that led to the fall of the military dictator.
He claimed that BNP, which came to power twice, did nothing to establish the rule of law or uphold the spirit of the 1971 Liberation War, which are two major pledges of the 'Ruprekha' signed by AL, BNP and left-leaning parties on November 19, 1990.
He was talking to The Daily Star at his Eskaton residence in the capital.
Amu said BNP ruled the country for five years after being voted to power through the historic 1991 election.
“But the then BNP government missed the opportunity of giving democracy a good shape. They rather patronised anti-liberation war elements.”
Asked about AL's present alliance with Ershad, Amu said, “We fought against a system, not any individual. The fact is Ershad's name has become a symbol of the movement.”
He defended Ershad, saying he now respects democracy, and has walked side by side with the democratic forces. “I do not see anything wrong in having a political alliance with him.”
Citing an example, he said many freedom fighters are with BNP. But would one describe them as bad elements, like many other top BNP leaders?
He, however, said some issues in the Ruprekha regarding the demands of professional bodies may not have been addressed.
He said the present government was working to build a “Digital Bangladesh” and had formulated an education policy in line with its pledges in the Ruprekha.
“We have made parliament effective and handled militants with an iron fist. We are not ignoring people's demands,” he said.
Referring to the abolition of the caretaker government system, he said it was clearly mentioned in “Tin Joter Ruprekha” that the system would be in place for two terms.
“This undemocratic system cannot go on for years. It is a shame for political leaders.”
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