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| Bangladesh's Political Impasse Nears End |
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Bangladesh's months-old political impasse is coming to an end as all the major political parties have agreed to join the upcoming general elections slated for Jan.22 next year. The former main opposition Awami League (AL)-led 14-party combine, which has formed a grand alliance with former President Ershad-led Jatiya Party and new floating Liberal Democratic Party on Dec. 18, announced Sunday they would go to polls. The Bangladesh Election Commission (EC) also agreed on Sunday to defer by two days the last date for submission of nomination papers for the national elections to facilitate participation of all political parties. Now, the parties can submit nomination papers till Dec. 26, instead of Dec. 24. The AL-led alliance said Saturday they would not go to polls if the date for submission of nomination papers was not extended. As a result, the council of advisors of the caretaker government decided late Saturday to formally ask the Election Commission to defer the date of filing nomination by two days. Information Advisor Mahbubul Alam told newsmen early hours on Sunday the initiative would bring an end to the months-old political standoff. The former ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led 4-party alliance led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia ended its tenure on Oct. 27. The constitution of Bangladesh stipulates that a non-party neutral caretaker government will take over the power and supervise the country's general elections within three month's time, and then hand over the power to an elected government. In line with the constitution, KM Hasan, former Chief Justice, would be the Chief Adviser of the caretaker government. However, the Awami League-led 14-party combine led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina demanded dropping Hasan as the designated chief adviser, saying that he was loyal to BNP alliance. In the face of stiff agitation of the combine, Hasan disagreed to become the chief adviser of the caretaker Government, and Bangladeshi President Iajuddin Ahmed named himself as the chief advisor and took over the power on Oct. 29. The AL-led 14-party combine staged four countrywide blockades and one hartal since Oct. 28, demanding a series of reforms on the election system, including correcting voter list which it said hastens of millions of fake voters inside, removing Chief Election Commissioner MA Aziz and two other controversial election commissioners, who it said were all BNP men. During the countrywide blockades, there were more than 30 people killed and thousands were wounded and national economy suffered great loss. The caretaker government has met most of Awami League-led combine's demands, including sending MA Aziz on three month's leave, requesting the other two election commissioners to take leaves, and agreeing to correct the voter list. What the caretaker government has done is aimed to bring the combine to polls as most of donor countries and agencies said the general elections should be held with participation of all major parties, otherwise the election will not be credible and it will not be acceptable at home and abroad. (Xinhua News Agency December 25, 2006) |
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