Bangladesh marks martyrs day amid political unrest

DHAKA, Dec 14 (Reuters) Bangladesh paid respect today to intellectuals and professionals killed during the 1971 independence war but the country remained focused on present-day political strife ahead of elections next month.

The Election Commission said today it had extended the deadline for updating the voters' list by three days to December 18, partly fulfilling demands by a multiparty alliance led by Sheikh Hasina which also sought removal of ''dishonest'' poll officials.

The alliance alleged the current electoral roll included 14 million ''fake'' voters. The Washington-based National Democratic Institute for International Affairs said some 12.2 million names had been entered on the list by error or in duplication.

Thousands gathered today to remember hundreds of teachers, doctors, engineers and artists gunned down or bayoneted to death by the Pakistani army in 1971, just two days before the former East Pakistan won a final victory in the nine-month war.

Political rivals Sheikh Hasina -- daughter of assassinated independence hero Sheikh Mujibur Rahman -- and Begum Khaleda Zia separately laid wreaths at a war memorial in Dhaka, keeping alive their decade-old animosity.

The two women have alternated as prime minister of the country for the past 15 years and are now locked in a tense battle for power in parliamentary elections set for January 23.

Hasina's Awami League alliance staged a siege of election offices across the country on Thursday in the latest bid to force removal of election officials she accuses of bias in favour of Khaleda and her Bangladesh Nationalist Party.

Witnesses said 10 people had been injured in clashes with police outside an election office in the northeastern district of Sylhet.

Peaceful protests took place around the country including in the port towns of Chittagong and Khulna in the south.

Hasina also demands that President Iajuddin Ahmed step down as head of the interim administration for failing to show neutrality.

Khaleda, who handed power to Iajuddin at the end of her five-year term in October, said Hasina's demands were intended to ''sabotage the elections, destroy democracy and cause a constitutional crisis''.

HUMAN RIGHTS After weeks of violent protests and strikes, Iajuddincalled in troops to assist the civil administration ahead of the polls, insisting that they would remain neutral in the political battle.

Hasina said the move was unnecessary.

A prominent US-based human rights group said there was concern that security forces could be used for political ends.

''Human Rights Watch is concerned that Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which maintains great influence over the caretaker government and its security structures, may use RAB (Rapid Action Battalions) for political means during the campaign,'' the group said.

President Iajuddin says he is determined to hold a fair and credible election and the army he called on to reinforce security will remain neutral.

The Bangladesh Foreign Ministry says it has sought comments from its New York mission on the critical report. RAB director-general Mizanur Rahman refused to comment.

REUTERS BDP KN1903