EU lawmakers urge Bangladesh to lift emergency

DHAKA, May 6 (Reuters) A group of European Union lawmakers has praised Bangladesh's army-backed interim government for its efforts to clean up the nation's politics, but has urged it to lift the emergency imposed in January and hold elections.

''We appreciate the initiatives taken by the caretaker government of Bangladesh to fight corruption, restore the order and reform the institutions, including political parties,'' the lawmakers said in a statement issued today.

But the government must withdraw the emergency -- imposed in the wake of widespread political violence -- as soon as possible and arrange to hold parliamentary elections, the lawmakers said.

''For the sake of democracy, we urge the caretaker government of Bangladesh to urgently lift the state of emergency, which ...

according to the Constitution, can run for a maximum of three months,'' the statement signed by 14 lawmakers said.

The government's law and information adviser Mainul Husein refused to comment on the statement but said Dhaka will follow it own counsel.

''We do not want to be dictated by any foreign bodies and so will make no comment,'' he told Reuters.

An election planned for Jan. 22 was cancelled by the interim government headed by former central bank governor Fakhruddin Ahmed.

All political activities are banned and scores of politicians jailed on charges of corruption and abuse of power.

Fakhruddin has said he hopes to be able to hold a free and credible election before the end of next year after completing the campaign against corruption.

The EU lawmakers' call came as former prime minister Sheikh Hasina prepared to fly home to face charges of murder and extortion after the interim administration lifted a ban on her homecoming last month.

''She is coming back tomorrow and we are ready to receive her,'' said Abdul Jalil, general secretary of Hasina's Awami League, said.

Hasina, who has been in London since April 19 when she stopped off after a holiday in the United States, has said she is prepared to go to jail on her return.

She has denied charges of extortion and abetment to murder related to street violence in Dhaka last October.

The EU deputies said they were ready to support and enhance cooperation with Bangladesh ''if the present government restores civil and political liberties and arranges as soon as possible free and fair democratic elections.'' It also urged the government to ensure respect of human rights by security forces and to use force only when necessary.

Security forces have detained more than 160 senior political figures in the anti-graft hunt, including Tareque Rahman, elder son of the most recent prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia.

REUTERS RJ PM11407