From rxpgnews.com
Bangladesh curbs politics, media freedom, legal recourse
By IANS,
Jan 26, 2007 - 2:44:24 PM
Dhaka, Jan 26 - Bangladesh's caretaker government late Thursday night assumed special emergency powers curbing political activities, media freedom and the people's right to seek redressal from the judiciary through writ petitions.
With this latest action, the government that has promised to spruce up the administration has also indefinitely postponed the ninth general election that was due last Monday but was called off.
The rules aim to curb 'provocative' activities that include meeting, gathering, procession, rally, exhibition, blockade, strike, lockout and other functions of political parties, trade unions, clubs or associations.
These democratic rights have been suspended until further order or until the state of emergency which was proclaimed on January 11 across the country, is withdrawn, said the New Age newspaper.
It quoted unnamed sources in the home ministry saying that President Iajuddin Ahmed approved the rules that were rushed to the government press for printing late last night but were not made public.
The two political alliances contending for power have reacted differently to the new situation.
The Awami League - and its ally Jatiya Party of former president H M Ershad have welcomed the new rules, while the rival camp of Bangladesh Nationalist Party - and Jamaat-e-Islami said they would study the rules before giving any reaction.
The Emergency Powers Rules 2007 was framed under the Emergency Powers Ordinance 2007, promulgated by the president on Jan 12.
According to sources, the rules also empower the government to arrest or detain any person or restrict entry, departure, stay or movement of any person to prevent from carrying out activities which could impinge on relations with any foreign country or which are not in public interest.
The draconian rules came into being even as the political parties and the diplomatic community stationed here have been urging for free and fair polls as early possible.
European Union - too has joined the clamour for early polls on Thursday. EU and also the US, UK, India and Pakistan, among other nations have been monitoring the situation closely.
Bangladesh has been in ferment for the past three months.
The government of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia quit office last October-end as per constitutional requirement. President Iajuddin Ahmed who imposed a state of emergency on Jan 11, himself stepped down as the chief advisor and handed over what can be termed a prime ministerial task, to Fakhruddin Ahmed, a banker.
The caretaker government under President Fakhruddin Ahmed battled a political impasse and a nationwide agitation in which 40 political activists were killed. There were disputes over the president's own role and about the role of the Election Commission, both have the responsibility to conduct free and fair polls.
The new rules were expected.
Justifying them earlier, law advisor Mainul Hosein told media that the government was committed to hold 'credible election' and urged the political parties to be 'patient.'
'Our main priority is to hold the elections. But we are doing this not only for the political parties but also for the people. So we cannot hold elections without doing these things -,' Hosein said.
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