Bangladesh activists demand president's resignation

DHAKA, Nov 30 (Reuters) Thousands of political activists surrounded the presidential place in the Bangladeshi capital today demanding that the president quit his post as caretaker ruler for failing to remove controversial election officials.

The protest by a 14-party alliance led by the Awami League was the latest in the run-up to parliamentary elections in January, which the alliance has threatened to disrupt if key election commission officials, accused of bias, are not removed.

After weeks of protests, Awami League supporters turned their ire against President Iajuddin Ahmed, saying he had failed to act impartially.

''The president must step down as chief of caretaker government as his actions are designed to appease Khaleda Zia and not to ensure a free election,'' said Mufazzal Hossain Maya, chief of the Dhaka unit of Awami League.

Begum Khaleda Zia ended her five-year term as prime minister in October, and Iajuddin took over as head of a caretaker administration charged with organising the elections.

The Awami League accuses election officials of trying to rig voter lists to help Khaleda and her Bangladesh Nationalist Party in the January 21 election.

Abdur Rashid Sarkar, secretary of the election commission, dismissed the charges as baseless.

Student supporters of Khaleda and Hasina clashed at Dhaka University today, attacking each other with home-made bombs, sticks and rocks, police said. Some shots were also fired, campus officials said.

There were no reports of casualties or arrests.

The latest protest coincides with a visit to Dhaka by UN envoy Craig Jenness to assess the political situation ahead of the polls.

Jenness, director of the UN Electoral Assistance Division, yesterday expressed concern over the prolonged political crisis in the country in talks with President Ahmed and Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina.

The Awami League, which is demanding the postponement of January 21 election until a complete restructuring of the election commission, has set a Saturday deadline for the president to prove his neutrality by accepting her demands.

Otherwise, the alliance has said it would enforce a countrywide transport blockade from Sunday, the third in the past two weeks.

At least 40 people were killed in the previous blockades and protests.

Hasina asked the commission to postpone the schedules for the election, including deadlines for the submission of nomination papers and their scrutiny.

Commission secretary Rashid said such a move could only be initiated by the president in consultation with major political parties.

REUTERS AB VC1500