Several thousand opposition activists gathered at Muktangan in the city with banners and placards and chanted slogans for immediate resignation of the CEC and new election commissioners Justice Mahfuzur Rahman and SM Zakaria.

The opposition combine marched in a procession after a brief rally at Muktangan to the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh through Paltan intersection, Bijoy Nagar and Kakrail intersection.

Awami League General Secretary and 14-party convenor Abdul Jalil said they would not allow an election under the incumbent CEC and until their demands for electoral reforms are met.

He urged the people to forge a united movement to oust the BNP-Jamaat-led government to put an end to the coalition's "misrule".

"We'll never take part in the election until the government meets our demands for reforms in the caretaker government system and Election Commission and removes the CEC and two politically appointed commissioners," Jalil said.

"Not only us, the people will also refrain from taking part in any election of conspiracy," Jalil said. "The CEC must resign and the voter roll must be according to the High Court directives."

Jalil said when they are demonstrating for the reforms, the prime minister appointed such a 'controversial person' as the CEC. The CEC has turned the EC into 'a centre for political gossips' by ignoring the HC directives, he added.

He urged the people and opposition activists to make the countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal on January 22 and a rally the next day a success. He also called upon all to join the long march towards Dhaka on February 5.

Bimol Biswas, Abdus Samad, Abdur Razzak, Matia Chowdhury, Pankaj Bhattacharya, Zakir Hossain, Obaidul Quader, Nurul Islam, Mukul Bose, Mofizul Islam Khan Kamal, Mofazzel Hossain Chowdhury Maya, among others, attended the demonstration.

RAJSHAHI

The 14-party took out a procession and held a rally in Shaheb Bazar zero point in Rajshahi city demanding resignation of the CEC and cancellation of the appointments of two new election commissioners, reports our RU correspondent.

City unit AL President Mahmuduzzaman Dulu chaired the rally, while former state minister Zinatun Nesa Talukder, city unit AL General Secretary AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal General Secretary Sayed Zaffar Sazzad, among others, spoke.

NOAKHALI
AL leaders brought out a procession and held a rally demanding immediate resignation of the CEC and the two commissioners, reports our Noakhali correspondent.

They also burnt an effigy of the CEC. Presided over by Mohammad Hanif, the rally was also addressed by Mohammad Ali, MP, Ekramul Karim Chowdhury and Belal Uddin Kiron.