New Bangladesh blockade looms in election row

DHAKA, Nov 18 (Reuters) One of Bangladesh's main parties threatened to resume an economic blockade as President Iajuddin Ahmed tried to decide today whether to remove or retain controversial election officials ahead of polls in January.

Thousands of workers and supporters of a 14-party alliance led by Sheikh Hasina, chief of the Awami League, rallied in the capital Dhaka, urging Iajuddin to remove Chief Election Commissioner M A Aziz and his deputies by tomorrow.

''Otherwise we will paralyse the country by re-enforcing a nationwide transport blockade and other protests,'' senior Awami leader Tofayel Ahmed, a former minister, told the rally.

But the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of Begum Khaleda Zia, who ended five years as prime minister last month, and the Jamaat-e-Islami party allied with her say that to fire the officials would be unconstitutional and a threat to democracy.

The president met 10 advisers entrusted with finding a solution to the political crisis, and their talks were due to resume later in the day.

''We hope to be able to give you something concrete and good soon, maybe after tonight's meeting,'' Mahbubul Alam, adviser in charge of the information ministry, told reporters.

Khaleda was also due to see the president, who heads the caretaker government organising the election, later today, party officials said.

Hasina accuses the election officials of bias towards Khaleda and her party.

Iajuddin, a former Dhaka University teacher who underwent open-heart surgery in July, has appeared to be leaning towards Khaleda, who appointed him president in 2002.

Security has been tightened ahead of tomorrow, the second deadline that Hasina has set the president since late last month to sack the officials, police said.

If he fails, the country will be shut down again from Monday, Hasina told reporters.

Two people were killed and hundreds injured in clashes with police and between rival activists during a four-day transport blockade last week that paralysed ports and industry.

The blockade was suspended on Wednesday following intense lobbying by the business community.

Previous Bangladeshi elections have been marred by violence and charges of rigging and voter intimidation, but analysts say the run-up to the vote has never before been so volatile.

EUTERS MS BS1858