Bangladesh asks leaders for patience ahead of poll

DHAKA, Jan 24 (Reuters) Bangladesh's interim administration urged leaders of the country's main political parties today to wait patiently for it to organise acceptable and credable parliamentary elections.

''Political parties should have patience as we are working to hold elections free of muscle power and black (untaxed) money,'' Mainul Husein, adviser-in-charge at the Ministry of Law, Judiciary and Parliamentary Affairs, told reporters.

But he could not say when the tasks would be completed and elections held.

''We have come here leaving our personal business, only to hold a free and fair election for the people and for the sake of democracy.'' His remarks came as leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), headed by previous prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia, demanded that elections take place within three months.

A multiparty alliance led by the Awami League of Sheikh Hasina, another former prime minister, has demanded that the list of registered voters be reviewed to expunge fraudulent names.

It also seeks reforms at the election commission, including the removal of commissioners it accuses of being biased towards the BNP's Khaleda.

Senior Awami leader Suranjit Sen Gupta told reporters ''necessary reforms are possible within three months''. He did not elaborate.

The Chief Election Commissioner, who went on leave after Hasina's alliance had demanded his resignation, resigned on Sunday.

Husein said other top election commission officials, who had failed to win the confidence of the major parties, should also leave as soon as possible.

Tapan Chowdhury, another ministerial adviser under the interim administration, said: ''We are trying to give identity cards to the voters and a correct voters list before the elections.'' Bangladesh saw its worst political crisis in years before Fakhruddin Ahmed took over this month as head of the caretaker administration from President Iajuddin Ahmed, who stepped down under pressure from Hasina's alliance, put the country under a state of emergency and cancelled the election originally set for January 22.

At least 45 people were killed and hundreds injured in political violence since late October, after Khaleda ended her five-year term as prime minister and handed power to the caretaker.

REUTERS SI ND2139