UN offers help Bangladesh in ensuing polls

Dhaka, Nov 28 (UNI) U N Secretary-General Kofi Annan will send a top aide to Dhaka tomorrow to help ensure peaceful and transparent general elections in January next year.

Mr Craig Jenness, director of the UN Electoral Assistance Division, will be in Bangladesh till Friday to meet with the Chief Advisor of caretaker government and other senior officials concerned, a U N official here said.

The official said Mr Annan had been following the developments in Bangladesh with concern and wanted to offer U N support to the process ''so that these important elections can enjoy the full confidence of the people there.'' Bangladesh Election Commission yesterday announced the general elections to be held on January 21, but major opposition alliances and parties rejected the schedule, bringing allegations that the Commission is not neutral and electoral roll conatins 14 million fake voters.

Awami League-led 14-party alliance of ex-opposition leader Sheikh Hasina has planned non-stop blockade from Dec 3 if the controversial people in the election commission are not removed and the electoral role is corrected.

The alliance is also demanding removal of President Iajuddin Ahmed as Chief Advisor of present interim caretaker government and the appointment of a neutral head for free and impartial elections.

UNI XC SB DS1300