Opposition acts on action formula

BNP and other opposition parties started circulating instructions to all city and district units yesterday to form an All-Party Action Council (APAC) soon.

The formation of the APAC at city, district, municipality, thana, ward and union levels across the country is aimed to boost the street protest and quicken the fall of the government.

The secretaries-general of BNP, Jatiya Party, Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Oikya Jote signed the circular on January 18.Chiefs of the four parties at a summit meeting on November 30 last year announced to form the APAC at all levels.

The circular consisting of 10 instructions asked for formation of liaison committees at district headquarters with presidents and general secretaries or convenors and joint convenors of district units of the four parties, elected representatives and local eminent personalities.

The circular has given three responsibilities to all units: to conduct a massive mass contact programme, implement all programmes to be announced by the Central Liaison Committee and solve problems that may creep in locally.

Each unit will have one convenor and no more than 101 members.

The circular further asked for constitution of APAC in coordination with representatives of opposition (Four Party and Seven Party) alliances, other political parties, groups, eminent personalities, students, workers and professional bodies and those who want to take part in the one-point movement.

It said the APAC in Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna and Rajshahi cities will also have committees at thana and ward levels while the district committees have units at municipality, thana, ward and union levels.

The circular stated that convenor of the APAC will call meetings and preside those. In absence of the convenor, the committee will nominate a member to temporarily act as the convenor.

The APAC units, if necessary, can give specific responsibility to one or more members. The Central Liaison Committee will coordinate all activities of city and district units of APAC, and the city and the district units will directly report to it.

The city and district units of APAC will coordinate with their respective municipality, thana, union and ward committees.

The APAC will have to be formed and its convenor chosen on the basis of discussion among local units of the parties.

After formation of local units, full lists shall have to be sent to the central committees of the four parties and to the Central Liaison Committee office at 29 Minto Road.

All concerned has been asked to contact the Central Liaison Committee immediately in case of any clarification.

"Let's build APAC in respective areas within the shortest time. Let's topple this fascist government and protect our democratic system, Constitution, independence and sovereignty and territorial integrity," the circular appealed.

City BNP convenor Sadek Hossain Khoka said senior leaders of city committees of the four parties would sit today to discuss formation of the APAC in the capital.

He hoped that the committee would be formed by January 23 when the four parties are scheduled to hold separate public meetings in the city.

Khoka said that BNP as the largest opposition party would get the post of convenor and have a majority in the committees.

BNP sources hinted that Khoka is going to be convenor of the city APAC.