Awami League general secretary Zillur Rahman has spurned the Opposition demand for an early general election and offered talks on specific agenda of the forthcoming Upazila Parishad polls.

"We re ready to talk with an open mind to the Opposition on specific agenda of Upazila election. If the opposition feels any problem or has any grievance, we can talk and settle." he told UNB yesterday.

Zillur, who is also the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD). said elections to 460 Upazila Parishad would be held in time as per law. "We will have to complete the Upazila election by July 30 according to law and personal will or whims will not work here." he added.

Responding to a question about the Opposition's 4-point demand, the LGRD Minister said: "We don't have any power to remove the Chief Election Commissioner, which is a constitutional post, nor have we any authority to reconstitute the Election Commission."

About voter ID cards, he said the Election Commission has already started distributing those cards.

About the detention of

Opposition leaders and workers, Zillur said: "So far I know none is arrested on political ground or without any charge, but if so the government would certainly take action if BNP could give a list of such persons."

Asked about the possible schedule for Upazila polls, the minister said the Election Commission has already been informed of the time limit for the election and it is the Commission that will announce the schedule.

When pressed about suitable time for Upazila elections. Zillur said it would be okay if the voting could start in the last week of June and could be compete in the first week of July.

He said it might take 15 days to complete the election to 460 Upazilas in phases.

The Awami League leader termed Begum Zia's demand for general election before the local body polls as irresponsible and said as a former Prime Minister she should know which election is held when.

He said people already "rejected" Begum Zia's call for boycott and hartal against the municipal elections, and were "enthusiastically awaiting to take part in the Upazila elections to share the benefit of decentralisation of power and development in their locality."