Bangladesh awaits decision on election chief

Dhaka, Nov 3: Speculation rose today that Bangladesh's controversial election commission chief may be replaced after advisers to the caretaker government held talks with a leading opposition leader.

The advisers, C M Shafi Sami and Sultana Kamal, met Sheikh Hasina, chief of the Awami League and leader of a 14-party alliance, at her Dhaka home yesterday night.

''They came to convey a message from the head of the caretaker authority, President Iajuddin Ahmed, that the process of restructuring the election commission has begun,'' Awami general secretary Abdul Jalil said after the meeting.

The Hasina-led alliance has been demanding removal of chief election commissioner M.A. Aziz and his deputies, accusing them of a bias towards the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which ruled the country until handing over to a caretaker authority last week.

The interim authority will run the country and oversee elections due in January.

Aziz told reporters yesterday that he would consider stepping down if asked by the caretaker administration.

Reuters