War veterans draw up 'national rescue plan'

Dhaka, Dec 9 (bdnews24.com) – Seven sector commanders of the Liberation War Saturday came up with 10 proposals including establishment of an independent election commission to bury the political crisis.

Correcting the voter list, removal of controversial government officials, banning corrupt people from elections and confiscation of their property, making public the source of income of candidates are the key proposals.

"Overall security and sovereignty of the country are at stake. Nobody will be allowed to play with the country," retired air vice-marshal AK Khondoker Bir Uttam, deputy commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces in the Liberation War.

Expressing grave concerns over the political deadlock, the liberation war stalwarts at a press conference at the Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka asked the caretaker administration and political parties to take steps to implement their proposals.

The war veterans proposed a ban on religion-based politics, separating the judiciary from the executive, making the anti-corruption commission effective, forming a free human-rights commission and identifying war criminals and declaring them ineligible for elections.

Khondoker called upon countrymen and freedom fighters to unite to protect the country from 'religious fanatics.'

The former Air Force chief expressed concerns over widespread corruption, controversy over national institutions, ineffective parliamentary democracy and handing state power to anti-liberation war forces.

"Dreams over the Liberation War are turning into nightmare. The spirit of the war is vanishing. All state institutions including the offices of the president, chief adviser, chief justice, the Election Commission have become controversial," Khondoker said.

"We want a free and fair election so that people can cast votes themselves. Otherwise, we the freedom fighters together with the people of the country will not hesitate to take any step," he said.

Among the liberation war sector commanders Maj Gen (Retd) KM Shafiullah Bir Uttam, Lt Gen (Retd) Mir Shawkat Ali, Bir Uttam, Maj Gen (Retd) CR Dutta, Bir Uttam, Maj (Retd) Rafiqul Islam, Bir Uttam, Lt Col (Retd) Nuruzzaman, Bir Uttam, and Lt Col (Retd) Abu Osman Chowdhury were present at the press conference.

Former army chief Lt Gen (Retd) Mustafizur Rahman, Lt Gen (Retd) Harun-ur-Rashid, Maj Gen (Retd) Amin Ahmed Chowdhury and freedom fighters were present.

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