Bangladesh protesters set fire to election offices

DHAKA, Nov 28 (Reuters) Political activists set fire to two election commission offices in Bangladesh today, as a 14-party alliance began a new campaign to force the ouster of top election officials.

The protests came a day after the election commission set parliamentary elections for Jan 21, defying calls by the Awami alliance to delay poll announcements until the commission was reorganised and the voters' list updated.

The alliance accuses the election commission of bias toward their main rival Begum Khaleda Zia, who ended her five-year term as prime minister in October, and her Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

Riot police stopped thousands of protesters, led by former prime minister and Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina, as they marched toward the heavily guarded election commission headquarters in the capital Dhaka.

Protesters scuffled with police and broke through at least one barricade, but security forces prevented them from reaching the headquarters.

''We will not be deterred by any resistance ... and will launch a more fierce campaign from Sunday to achieve our demands,'' said Awami leader Mohammad Nasim, a former home minister.

The alliance has threatened to step up protests including a new transport shutdown if the election commission goes ahead with its poll schedule.

''Unless the election commission cancels the schedules by next Saturday, we will launch a new wave of protests, including an indefinite transport blockade from Sunday,'' Abdul Jalil, general secretary of the Awami League, told reporters.

At least 40 people were killed and hundreds hurt in similar blockades and other protests since late October over the alliance's demand for restructuring of the poll commission.

OFFICES BURNT Earlier today, suspected alliance supporters set fire to district election offices in the southern coastal town of Barisal and in Munshiganj district, near Dhaka, police said. Hundreds of documents were burnt.

Another election office and a court building were set on fire in the southwestern town of Khulna yesterday.

Past elections in Bangladesh have been marred by violence and charges of rigging and voter intimidation. Officials and analysts fear more violence in the coming polls, as political rivals refuse to compromise on any of the disputed issues.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan will send a top aide to Bangladesh ahead of the election to help ensure voting is peaceful and transparent.

Craig Jenness, director of the world body's Electoral Assistance Division, will be in Bangladesh from Wednesday through Friday to meet with the head of the caretaker government and other senior officials, election authorities, political party representatives and various interest groups.

M Morshed Khan, Bangladesh's immediate past foreign minister, said he did not expect Jenness' visit to resolve the impasse.

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