‘The adviser [Hossain Zillur] either deliberately or mistakenly lied to the nation by accusing the two political alliances of not reaching a consensus’, AL joint secretary general Syed Ashraful Islam told reporters after a meeting with the Election Commission.

Referring to the government’s dialogues with the two alliances, particularly with Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia, Ashraf said during the dialogue with the AL-led alliance the adviser had told them that they had no specific agenda or any specific proposal for deferring the election date. ‘The adviser also informed us that the government’s discussion with the four-party alliance had failed’, Ashraf said.

‘But the adviser blamed the two alliances, we condemn the statement,’ said the AL leader.

The commerce and education adviser, Hossain Zillur Rahman, on November 19 said, ‘Parliamentary and upazila elections will go ahead as scheduled as there has been no consensus between the political alliances on the proposals put forward by the government and the Election Commission despite multifarious communications, sincerity and all-out efforts.’

The chief adviser is scheduled to attend the inaugural ceremony of the senate building as chief guest while education adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman will be the special guest.

Talking to the correspondent of E-Bangladesh, leaders of different student organizations, including Bangladesh Chhatra League, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and Bangladesh Chhatra Union said they that had chalked up agitation programmes, including token hunger strike, hoisting of black flags, processions and distribution of leaflets to protest at and prevent the chief adviser from visiting the DU.

Terming Fakhruddin a ‘controversial’ person, the student leaders said, the students and teachers of Dhaka University had been subjected to ‘oppression’ under his rule.

BCL president Mahmud Hasan Ripon vowed to ‘thwart’ the arrival of the chief adviser on the campus and boycott the programme.

‘This government has no constitutional legitimacy and so we cannot welcome the chief of this unconstitutional government on the campus’, he added.

JCD general secretary Shafiul Bari Babu said, ‘The students and teachers of the university do not want to see him as the chief guest in the function. We will boycott the programme if we are invited there.’
Terming the interim government ‘autocratic’ he said, ‘It has jailed many political leaders in false cases. We cannot welcome a person who is responsible for oppression on students and teachers.’

Hasan Mamun, DU unit president of JCD, said that the chief adviser had ‘no moral right’ to visit the campus.

Saiful Islam Firoz, DU unit secretary of JCD, declared that the students would ‘thwart’ Fakhruddin’s visit to the campus ‘by any means’.

Khan Asaduzzman Masum, general secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra Union, said that they would finalise the programmes shortly to protest at the chief adviser’s visit.

DU vice-chancellor Professor SMA Faiz, however, has expressed his hope that the function will be held peacefully.

Meanwhile, a section of DU students is planning to stage protest against the arrival of the president, Iajuddin Ahmed, for the convocation of the university scheduled for April 7, sources said.