BANGLADESH

Despite the opposition's threats of movement, Awami League maintains that the caretaker government system will not return.

A scornful Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, from a press conference on Wednesday at the party's Dhanmondi office, urged political parties to prepare for the upcoming polls which 'the Election Commission (EC) will organise under Awami League government' and expressed hope that all parties would participate.

"The elections will be held under an independent Election Commission. If anyone thinks they can stop the war crimes trial by not attending the polls, they are daydreaming," he added.

A day before, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia warned, "No polls would be allowed under a party rule, without a caretaker government. The government is thinking of teaming up with (H M) Ershad and holding the polls under a party government. Their dream will not come true."

The opposition chief also remarked that the Awami League government had abolished the caretaker government system "because they know very well that they will not be re-elected".

AL SUPPORTS SEARCH COMMITTEE

Ashraf said the government agreed with Khaleda's call for an all-party discussion before EC reforms.

"Our working committee wholeheartedly agreed with the idea of a search committee," he said. "We will bring it up as a law in the upcoming parliament session," he said.

"We've agreed with most of the changes that the Election Commission has put forth, but laws can only be amended in parliament," he added.

'NO BOMBS LANDED IN BNP RALLY'

Ashraf dismissed all the allegations made in the opposition leader's speech — law and order situation, high prices of essentials, transport problems and no increase in power production — as false.

"No bombs landed in BNP's Tuesday rally in front of their party office," the Awami League spokesperson said. "But in Aug 2004, grenades were hurled at the Awami League rally in front of its office."

He also brought up the Aug 2005 series bomb attacks, former finance minister Shah A M S Kibria and ex-MPAhsanullah Master murders, Operation Clean Heart and other incidents, saying, "These things did not happen during the current government's tenure. We're fighting crime successfully."


"It is embarrassing for the country that the sons of a former prime minister have been proven corrupt," he said.

Ashraf drew attention to the fact that US secretary of state Hillary Clinton had called the Indian election commission a 'gold-standard election commission'.

"Why can't we make a gold-standard election commission in our country?" he said.

JAGANNATH UNIVERSITY

Ashraf, also the local government minister, said the law that Jagannath University students were protesting against had been introduced in BNP government's tenure.

"I'm surprised that they did not protest back then. What's happening now is the work of some criminals," he remarked.

JnU students have been protesting since their semester fees grew five times, in accordance with a law that the university will have to self-finance its operations. The Jagannath College, founded in 1884, was turned into a university in 2005. Two days of violent street demonstrations and vandalism at the campus ensued before JnU was shut down indefinitely on Wednesday.

"The law will be cancelled if necessary," Ashraf said. "We've already released the detained students because we think they are ignorant."

LIVE TELECAST

Ashraf looked up at the reporters of ntv, ETV, Bangla Vision and Islamic Television in the conference before making his speech.

"I'm glad that you're here. Your channels telecast the BNP rally live. It's a good sign for democracy," he said.

"I hope you will also telecast this conference live, because we'll provide answers to the rally's statements here," he added.

"If you don't, people may think you are working for one political party."