DHAKA, 30 January 2007 — A top court in Bangladesh stopped all electoral activities for three months — or until the voter registration process had been completely overhauled. The political crisis in the country further worsened after the High Court ruling yesterday.

Halting preparations for elections in the county, the Court also asked the Election Commission to explain “why the existing electoral roll should not be declared illegal” as it was prepared without complying with the representation of People’s Order 1972 and the Supreme Court directives.

The court also ordered the Election Commission to explain why transparent ballot boxes and proper voter identity cards could not be prepared ahead of the polls.

The decision came after a petition brought by a private citizen, Mamunur Rashid, who argued that the constitution had been violated. The case was not challenged by the Election Commission and is binding unless challenged in the Supreme Court. Bangladesh has been in political crisis since the dissolution of the government at the end of its five-year term on Oct. 28 and the appointment of an interim administration that was supposed to oversee elections originally scheduled for Jan. 22.

But feuding by rival political parties has seen the caretaker government dissolved once and the appointment of two different heads of the election commission.

“The court issued the order after hearing a writ petition by a voter who claimed that the Election Commission had violated the constitution by announcing a recent poll schedule,” a court official said.

So far no date has been set for elections — in part because a multiparty political alliance led by Hasina Wajed, a former prime minister and chief of the Awami League, wants reforms implemented.

Hasina has insisted on the removal of Election Commission officials she accuses of bias toward her rival, Khaleda Zia, the immediate past prime minister who ended her five-year tenure in October.

Meanwhile, at least 33,000 people have been arrested in Bangladesh by the army, police and security forces since a state of emergency was imposed earlier this month, an official said yesterday. “Joint forces including army, police, and other paramilitary forces have so far arrested 33,000 people across the country,” said Assistant Inspector General of Police Motiur Rahman.

“Our efforts are aimed at preventing criminals and political muscle men from interfering in the holding of free and fair election. We are arresting those who are charged with criminal cases,” he said.

Some of those arrested have been released, Rahman said, although he was not able to give figures.

Polls slated for Jan. 22 were canceled amid an intense dispute between Bangladesh’s key political blocs over the vote’s likely integrity. A state of emergency was imposed by President Iajuddin Ahmed when he canceled the elections and stepped down as head of the country’s interim government on Jan. 11.