Ruling Awami League (AL) will hold peaceful mass gatherings of its leaders and activists at ward level in all metropolitan cities and district towns including in the capital today and bring out mourning processions tomorrow to commemorate August 15 carnage .
At a press conference held at Awami League president's Dhanmondi office on Saturday, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader urged party leaders and activists to join the programmes in a peaceful manner.
In his briefing, Quader, also road transport and bridges minister, said the cadres of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and Shibir made evil efforts to create an uneasy situation by unleashing violence, vandalism and arson.
"Many lives were lost including of children. Killing a baby cannot be considered as a political matter. The ruling party does not have any benefit by killing a child. What is our interest? It benefits those who want to gain out of this movement. We want to know the names of 32 children who died in recent violence as claimed by UNICEF. If we get the list, we will take steps after finding out the truth," he added.
He said, "Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued instruction not to engage in any violence with the studen ts. We believe in unity, not conflict.
We want united efforts of those who believe in independence, sovereignty, democracy and progress."
Quader accused BNP and Jamaat of doing politics by killing people to topple the elected government using the students' movement. "Everyone knows about the deep relations between BNP and Jamaat," he said.
Referring to two people who were killed on Friday, Quader asked BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir to say, "Who was responsible for the brutal killing of a policeman on Friday?"
In Habiganj, a labourer died after he was caught in the middle of a clash and police said a constable died being beaten by protesters in Khulna.
Quader said the ruling party believes that the general students were not involved in these killings.
Quader said BNP and Jamaat takes part any movement against the government.
Now using the general students, they are planning to unseat the government, said Quader.
Quader said party activists will gather in each ward of Dhaka city and all district towns and cities today and they will bring out a mourning procession from Institution of Engineers and march to Bangabandhu Bhaban at 3pm on Monday.
