Top UN election aide heads to Bangladesh

United Nations, Nov 28: UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan is sending a top aide to Bangladesh ahead of January elections to help ensure they are peaceful and transparent after a wave of deadly protests, a spokesman said.

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

Bangladesh's election commission yesterday set the election for January 21 and said its aim was to hold a free and fair vote to put democracy in the mainly Muslim country on a firm footing.

A 14-party alliance led by Sheikh Hasina, chief of the Awami League and a likely top contender in the contest, rejected the schedule and threatened new protests unless the date was changed.

At least 40 people have been killed and hundreds injured in protests since late October over the alliance's demand for restructuring of the commission.

Okabe said Annan had been following the developments in Bangladesh with concern and wanted to offer UN support to the process ''so that these important elections can enjoy the full confidence of the people of Bangladesh.''

Reuters

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