Military takeover will not help free fair elections in Bangladesh: U.S. official

A senior U.S. official said in Dhaka Saturday that military takeover would not help free and fair elections in Bangladesh, as the country seems heading for a political confrontation over the upcoming general elections.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Richard Boucher urged the Bangladeshi Election Commission and the non-party interim caretaker government to act neutrally without any outside influence to ensure free and fair elections where each vote is counted and election result trusted.

"The situation here is difficult but the goal is free and fair elections. I think military takeover does not contribute to the goal. That will be a bad thing to do," Boucher told a crowded media conference here Saturday.

Boucher, who came here Saturday to assess the pre-election ground situation, urged the political leadership to lower the level of tension and violence, and hold peaceful demonstrations so voters get educated about free and fair elections.

Replying to questions over the controversy on Chief Election Commissioner (CMC) Justice MA Aziz, he said he will not talk about any individual as the Election Commission has important role to play in ensuring free and fair elections.

"Our view is a great responsibility lies with the Election Commission and they need to exercise those responsibility fairly but carefully in accordance with the Constitution and avoid any outside influence," he said.

Boucher, who would meet President and Chief Advisor of caretaker government Professor Iajuddin Ahmed Sunday, said the caretaker government also has great responsibility to carry out its task in a neutral manner so that any of its decisions does not favor any particular political party.

Asked about the outcome of his meetings with former ruling party BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and former main opposition Awami League President Sheikh Hasina, he said both of them want free and fair elections and it would be better for them to reach consensus on the issues respecting the Constitutional process.

He said both the political parties have lot of experience in politics and they could settle many of the controversies.

Boucher said America would send observers to monitor the coming general elections.

Meanwhile, Awami League led 14-party combine will enforce indefinite siege on road-rail and waterway from Sunday to press for their 11-point demand that envisages removal of CEC Justice Aziz and depoliticize the administration for free and fair elections.

Hasina has urged the people to enforce the siege peacefully until their demands are realized.

Her opponent former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's four-party alliance has declared that they would also come on the street to foil the siege.

In view of confrontational situation, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Bazlur Rahman has imposed ban on the planned siege.

The Home Ministry in a press note urged the AL-led 14 party- combine to cancel the siege program for the public interest and economy.

The press note termed the siege unconstitutional and unlawful, saying that the government is determined to take legal steps to maintain peace and issued necessary instructions to law enforcers.

According to the Constitution, former ruling BNP-led four-party alliance government finished its five-year term on Oct. 27. It was supposed to hand over power to a neutral caretaker government the next day. But BNP and AL could not make consensus on the candidate of chief adviser of caretaker government, so President Iajuddin Ahmed took over the post as chief adviser on Oct. 29.

AL on Nov. 3 extended the deadline to Nov. 11 for Iajuddin to prove his neutrality, or they will launch countrywide blockade from Nov. 12.

Source: Xinhua