Dhaka: Awami League joint general secretary and Prime Minister's special assistant Mahbubul Alam Hanif on Wednesday said the actors of the 1/11 political changeover of 2007 have become active again in the country's political scene.

"Those who were the actors behind the military-backed government of 2007 have become active again. They are misleading the nation with different statements," he said calling upon them to refrain from their contradictory activities.

Hanif made this appeal while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion on "Current politics: Its future" at the rehearsal room of the Shilpakala Academy at Segunbagicha in the capital city.

Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote organised the discussion with its president Advocate Tarana Halim, MP, in the chair. State Minister for Law Advocate Quamrul Islam, Dhaka City Awami League organising secretary Shahe Alam Murad, Jote vice-president Mobarak Ali Shikdar and general secretary Arun Sarker Rana were the discussants, among others, in it.

Hanif posed a question to his audience whether the country is safe and secured under Dr Kamal Hossain and the left-alliance leaders, who have no involvement with the people's affairs. "People want to know whether the country is safe under those personalities who leave the country at its hard time. They will never come to power through the people's mandate," he added.

The Awami League joint general secretary said, "As one of the advisers of the 1/11 government Dr Akbar Ali Khan has failed to discharge his duties and he resigned from his post taking all the responsibilities of his failure. He has now been suggesting the formula of failure as a solution to the prevailing crisis. He has been saying in favour of a referendum."

Hanif said there is no more requirement of holding a referendum as the people have given their mandate in favour of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the election to run the state affairs for five years. "People know well the history of referendum. They (people) have experience of referendum held during the military regime of Ziaur Rahman. They don't want to see a new referendum anymore," he added.

Terming the activities of Hefazat-e-Islam and that of BNP- Jamaat alliance nothing but a joint venture conspiracy, the AL leader said, "The opposition has been searching the way like that of passer-by who has lost the way after failing to capitalise on the Hefazat conspiracy. Though late they (opposition) have ultimately turned up at the Jatiya Sangsad (Parliament) to retain their membership."

Pointing at the opposition, Hanif said, "They will be able to retrace all the lost ways through talks in the parliament."

The AL leader said a two-way trend has now been prevailing in the country's politics, as one side of it is the politics of people's welfare under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina to establish democracy and on the other, it is the conspiratorial politics of transforming Bangladesh into a failed state.

"It (the trend in country's politics) has become crystal clear now to the nation. So, election is the only way out to get rid of the prevailing situation," Hanif said hoping that the people of the country will not take a wrong decision in the next national election.

Advocate Quamrul Islam said there would never be a non-elected government in the country as the people do not want to see a non- elected administration in the helm of state affairs even for a day.

Ends/AMA/05/06/13