Bangladesh parties demand early polls

DHAKA: Bangladesh's major political parties on Monday demanded early elections, turning up the heat on the military-backed government less than a week after it backtracked on plans to exile their leaders.   

Khaleda Zia, the last prime minister and the leader of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has "urged all the party leaders to help hold free and fair elections quickly," her close aide, Osman Faruq, said.   

"She thinks the election should be held quickly," Faruq told reporters on Monday.   

Zia's main rival, Sheikh Hasina, who leads the main opposition Awami League party, also demanded early polls from her London residence.   

"The government should hold elections as early as possible," her secretary, Abdus Sobhan Golap, said by telephone.   

"She thinks an 18-month wait is too long. The government should cut the preparation time and hold polls at the earliest so that it can transfer power to an elected government."   

The interim government, which came to power in January after the president cancelled polls and imposed a state of emergency, had said early this month the polls would be held in late 2008.   

Authorities have been trying to force both Zia and Sheikh Hasina into exile as part of a crackdown on political corruption, blaming both for years of misrule.   

But on Wednesday, the government lifted a ban on Hasina's return from holiday and insisted there were no longer any pressure on Zia -- who had reportedly agreed to go into exile in Saudi Arabia -- to leave the country.   

Sheikh Hasina now intends to return in the first week of May, according to her spokesman. But Zia is planning to soon fly to Saudi Arabia to perform a religious pilgrimage, her brother told reporters.   

While appearing to drop its exile plans for the two women, the government has brought murder and extortion charges against Sheikh Hasina and has raised the possibility of corruption charges against both leaders.   

Last week it told banks to supply details of the women's bank accounts.   

A minister of the interim cabinet was also quick to reject demands for early polls, saying it would take at least 18 months to complete reforms deemed necessary for free and fair elections.   

"We understand the parties are now in a hurry to return to power," said the minister, who asked not to be named.   

"But the election commission told us that it would take at least 18 months to prepare the ground for fair elections," he added.