B'desh alliance suspends transport strike after govt pushes for poll reform

BANGLADESH: The government urged the Election Commission to revise a contentious voter list and reschedule upcoming polls, prompting a political alliance seeking electoral reform to suspend a nationwide transport blockade that left at least four activists dead.

Sheikh Hasina, the leader of the 14-party alliance, told reporters that the strike was suspended, but warned the commission to make the requested changes straight away.

"The assurances given by the government have to be implemented immediately," Hasina told a news conference.

The interim government - appointed at the end of the tenure of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia in late October - pushed for the changes following weeks of often violent protests organized by Hasina's alliance to force electoral reform and the removal of several election commissioners they say favor Zia's four-party coalition.

Zia's supporters dispute the claims, and want the elections to go ahead as scheduled on Jan. 21.

"We have requested the Election Commission to revise the voter list and rectify duplicate names or omissions - to prepare a list acceptable to all," said Mahbubul Alam, an adviser to the caretaker government.

The government also plans to ask some election commissioners to go on leave and may appoint new ones, Alam said. Commissioners cannot be dismissed under the Constitution.

"We want to create an atmosphere to hold credible and participatory elections," he said.

The 14-party alliance plans to march on the Election Commission's office in the capital Dhaka on Tuesday to ensure the changes take place, said Hasina, who was the main opposition party leader during Zia's tenure. The transport strike launched Sunday spawned violent protests across Bangladesh.

On Monday, about 2,000 supporters of Zia and Hasina, poured onto the streets of Maheskhali town in Cox's Bazar, 295 kilometers (185 miles) south of Dhaka, armed with guns and meat cleavers, police officer Mashudul Alam said.

Two activists were shot to death, and a third died from a knife wound, he said. Another street clash Sunday between the rival political camps left one Hasina supporter dead and about 50 other activists injured in Sylhet, about 190 kilometers (120 miles) northeast of Dhaka.

Thousands of protesters had returned to the streets of Dhaka earlier Monday to enforce the transport strike and cut off the capital city of 10 million people from the rest of the country. Only a few tricycle rickshaws were allowed to operate.

DHAKA, Tuesday, AP