Bangladesh election chief gets vote of confidence

DHAKA, Nov 7 (Reuters) Bangladesh's beleaguered election chief was given a vote of confidence today from former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, who warned her rivals against derailing polls set for January.

Khaleda, who stood down nearly two weeks ago in favour of a caretaker administration that will run the country until after next year's polls, called on election chief M A Aziz to ignore criticism from her opponents, mainly the Awami League.

''There is no need for them (the election commission) to heed to those grumbling for restructuring,'' she told a huge rally organised by the Bangladesk Nationalist Party (BNP).

The Awami League and its allies accuse Aziz and his deputies of being biased in favour of the BNP and want the commission disbanded and restructured to ensure free and fair voting.

''They are conspiring to obstruct the work of the commission and hinder the election process,'' said Khaleda whose five-year mandate as prime minister ended on October 27.

AFRAID OF POLLS Khaleda urged President Iajuddin Ahmed, who heads the caretaker administration, not to be ''influenced or misled'' by those who were afraid of contesting the polls.

Iajuddin took over as caretaker chief on October 29 after a former chief justice, who was supposed to replace Khaleda in the interim period until the election, withdrew at the last minute.

At least 30 people were killed and hundreds injured in clashes over who would head the interim authority.

''Anyone who tries to push the country into chaos and uncertainty through acts of violence in the name of politics should be identified and punished under the law of the land,'' Khaleda told the rally, attended by thousands of supporters of the BNP and its allies.

An Awami-led 14-party alliance has been pressing the president to get rid of Aziz and overhaul the civil and police administration.

Aziz has said he will not step down even if asked by the caretaker authority.

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