Bangladeshi caretaker government Chief Advisor Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed has said some curbs imposed under the state of emergency on some political activities will be lifted to create congenial atmosphere for general election scheduled to be held in December this year.
The state of emergency banning all political activities was imposed on January 11 last year in the wake of political turbulence over an abortive general elections slated for Jan. 22 last year. The caretaker government has decided to hold the stalled elections by December, 2008.
Political parties are demanding lifting of the emergency and restriction on political activities to create atmosphere for the elections.
"We have not yet fixed the time. We will be looking at all options when and how the state of emergency will be lifted," he said in an interview with Aljazeera Television in London while he was taking a visit to UK on March 17. The interview program was aired Saturday morning.
Dr Ahmed said the state of emergency was declared to improve the law and order and bring back the country to normalcy. Now the law and order has improved a lot and even though there is the state of emergency, it is not being enforced in that sense in manyfields.
Citing an example, he said press is free ever since his government came to power on Jan. 12 last year.
Asked whether the elections will be held by December this year, Dr Ahmed said, "absolutely, that is the deadline. I have said this more than once and the elections will be held by December 2008."
He said the Election Commission has also announced a roadmap detailing all priority activities and "I am absolutely committed and confident that the elections will be held according to the roadmap."
Source: Xinhua
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