& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Hasina tells Judith govt out to rig next polls

Staff Correspondent
Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina at a meeting with US ChargC d'affaires (CDA) Judith A Chammas yesterday expressed concern over holding the next general elections in a free and fair manner.
The BNP-Jamaat-led coalition government is doing everything possible to rig the next election sensing defeat, Hasina told Chammas at the meet at her Sudha
SEE PAGE 15 COL 4 FROM PAGE 16
Sudan residence.
Emerging from the hour-long meeting, Chammas told reporters. ''We’ve discussed many issues including the upcoming elections, the August 17 bomb blasts, and other unresolved crimes."
On the next general polls, she said, "We are urging all to work together to hold the election in a free and fair atmosphere."
She however declined to comment on tlie government's turning down the Tuesday Group's bid for holding a high-level conference in Dhaka on the issues of best election practices.
Asked about her comment she made on September 13 about the elections in Bangladesh, the US envoy said. "What I said is notliing new. I said this many times before. There was distortion of my statements in the media. '1111 now I stand by my remarks."
Cnammas at a luncheon meeting of American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh on September 13 said though Bangladesh is generally recognised for conducting free and fair elections, it should address the concerns that the next elections "maybeproblematic."
Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Hasina's political secretary, told the reporters yesterday’s meeting dis-
cussed the party's plans for holding a free and fair election.
Citing lite controversial appointments of ruling alliance's student activists as election officers and 'biased' activities ofthechiefelection commissioner. Saber said the reality is not the same as propagated by the prime minister at home andabroad.
"A free and fair election cannot be possible under Chief Election Commissioner MA Aziz. He has proved through his comments he is not an impartial person," Sabersaid.
"This government is doing everything possible sensing the people will reject it at the next general elections. So the government is taking all measures for vote rigging” Saber said quotingmeeting discussions.
On the August 17serialblastsacross the country, the AL leader said the prime minister in her speech in parliament tried to hide the perpetrators.
AL leaders Kazi Zafarullah and Syed Abul Hossain werepresent.