Jail order a bid to keep 4-party out of polls

Jamaat-e-Islami has alleged that its Ameer Matiur Rahman Nizami and Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid were sent to jail yesterday as part of the government's move to keep the BNP-led four-party alliance off the coming elections.
BNP condemned the sending of party leader M Saifur Rahman and the top leaders of Jamaat to jail saying the action was aimed at leaving the alliance outside the election process.
Four-party senior leaders during an emergency meeting last night announced fresh countrywide protest rallies tomorrow to press home their seven-point demand and to get these alliance leaders freed.
Chaired by BNP chief Khaleda Zia, the four-party leaders alleged that sending the three top leaders of four-party alliance to jail clearly indicates that the caretaker government does not want the alliance in the elections.
Earlier in the afternoon, Jamaat, a key component of the four-party combine, announced a five-day programme beginning today to protest sending of its top leaders to jail, and to press home its demand for withdrawal of cases against them, and their release.
The programme includes demonstrations and protest rallies across
the country from today till Thursday and offering 'Doa' (prayers) on Friday. And on November 16, the party will submit memorandum to the Chief Adviser's Office in Dhaka and deputy commissioners' offices in districts.
Nizami, Mojahid and former finance minister Saifur Rahman were sent to jail when they turned up in court in connection with Barapukuria coalmine corruption case.
The action showed there is a conspiracy to keep the four-party out of the polls race, Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Mohammad Kamaruzzaman said at an impromptu press conference at the party central office at the city's Moghbazar.
"Although the charge sheet against the top leader of a political party has been withdrawn, Khaleda Zia (BNP chief) and nine others are being harassed in Barapukuria case," he said.
“This proves the government is favouring a certain political party, and is behaving like step-mother with another party. And today's (yesterday's) incident clearly showed it (government) wants to install a particular party in power.”
The Jamaat leader said it now appears that the government is not sincere about holding the December 18 election.
FOUR-PARTY MEETING
BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain last night condemned sending BNP and Jamaat leaders to jail and said it was intended to keep the four-party away from elections.
Delwar was briefing reporters following an hour-long meeting of the four-party held at BNP chairperson's Gulshan office.
He demanded reinstating the removed BSMMU vice-chancellor (VC), pro-vc and treasurer.
"How do they want to hold elections without us? We do not want to be left out of the race. It seems the government wants to put a particular party to power," Delwar said.
"We cannot go into an election where they will win and we will not."
Delwar said despite securing bail, detained BNP leaders are not being released.
Andaleeve Rahman Partha, Shamim Al Mamun, Mohammad Kamaruzzaman, ATM Azharul Islam, Abdul Latif Nezami and ATM Ishaq attended the meeting among others.