January 5, 2002	Saturday	Shawwal 20, 1422

DHAKA, Jan 4: The political lull that the people were enjoying in the country is likely to be shattered with the return of former Prime Minister and Awami League president Sheikh Hasina on Jan 8 after a month-long holiday in USA.

A day later, the Awami League has called for a countrywide general strike on 9 January.

The strike decision was announced at a public rally on Thursday ostensibly to protest the government’s decision to hike fuel prices between 10 and 22 percent. The Dhaka rally was attended by couple of thousand AL activists.

Sheikh Hasina has spent one month at Florida where both her daughter and son live with their families. She will return to Dhaka from Florida after spending 3-4 days in London with her younger sister Sheikh Rehana.

PARLIAMENT: Meanwhile President AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury has summoned the winter session of the parliament on January 31. The government is likely to place a number of bills in the House to fulfil its election pledges.

A bill would also be presented to repeal the controversial Public Safety Act (PSA) 2000, introduced by the immediate past AL government amid loud protests from the opposition.