DHAKA, 15 January 2007 — Days after the president met its demands and postponed the disputed vote, an alliance led by Awami League announced that it will contest parliamentary elections.
“We have decided to participate in the elections,” Awami League General-Secretary Abdul Jalil said.
The alliance had boycotted the polls saying the president, as head of an interim administration, was favoring its rivals.
It wanted the polls to be delayed and voters’ lists updated to ensure a free and fair election, which had been set for Jan. 22.
“This is a new start, we are hoping for the best in the future.” “This present caretaker government has to go ahead with the preparation of the Election Commission, voters’ list ... then we are ready to participate at any moment,” he said in the first detailed comments by the alliance since last week’s political upheaval.
The decision by the alliance came two days after it called off plans for new blockades and strikes in the country after President Iajuddin Ahmed gave in to mounting pressure and stepped down as head of an interim government tasked with holding the polls.
Iajuddin deferred elections slated for Jan. 22, and stepped aside as head of an interim government to quell violent street demonstrations and crippling strikes launched by a 19-party political alliance to force electoral reforms. He also imposed emergency laws to prevent violence and named Fakhruddin Ahmed, a respected economist and a former central bank governor, as the new caretaker chief.
Ahmed has begun forming a council of advisers to run his administration and is expected to open talks with the Awami League and the Bangladesh National Party (BNP) of the previous prime minister, Begum Khaleda Zia, to build political consensus. The new caretaker government held its first meeting yesterday, officials and news reports said, days after the president declared a state of emergency following weeks of unrest ahead of elections.
Ahmed allocated portfolios to the five newly-appointed advisers yesterday. He kept with him the Cabinet division, establishment, home and Election Commission secretariat.
Ahmed is also expected to reform the Election Commission, redo the voters’ lists and then set a schedule for the ballot in the Islamic country of 140 million people.
The entire process could be completed within 90 days of its launch but it might require an amendment to the constitution, which mandates holding elections within three months of the end of a government’s term, said Jalil.
Khaleda stepped down in October at the end of her five-year term and the three-month deadline expires in late January.
The Awami League alliance was always committed to elections but was handicapped by a faulty voters’ list, said Jalil, who is responsible for coordinating strategy with the 14 parties in the group and two supporting it from outside.
The grand alliance would launch its election campaign after the Election Commission is reorganized and the process of redoing the voters’ lists begins, said Jalil. Some diplomats and political analysts fear the BNP, upset over the turn of events, could stir trouble or even consider boycotting the ballot.
But Jalil said his rivals had no justification to do so. “I think they will come to that realization, they must come to the realization if they believe in the democratic process.”
At least 34 people have been killed in the often violent protests that began in late October, when Khaleda ended her five-year term and handed over power to an interim government led by Iajuddin.
No new date has been set for the elections, and fears lingered of further turmoil in a country with a history of coups, military rule and violently bitter democratic politics.
