The Awami League (AL)-led 14-party alliance leaders yesterday said President Iajuddin Ahmed opened up scopes for impeachment for 'violation' of his oath and making 'unconstitutional' remark that the present government has become a presidential form of government.

"Through his speech, the president has violated the constitution as well as his oath and shown ignorance about the constitution. For this actions could be taken against him for contempt of constitution,"

14-party coordinator Abdul Jalil said at a news briefing at his Gulshan residence in the capital.

Demanding implementation of the 11-point task put forward by the 14-party within 24 hours to create a congenial atmosphere for holding free and fair elections, Jalil warned that otherwise the entire country would be brought to a standstill by enforcing blockade programmes.

Although the 14-party alliance set a second deadline for the president to prove his neutrality by

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November 12, he has failed to do so, Jalil said.

Prior to the briefing, the 14-party leaders held an emergency meeting at Jalil's residence with AL Presidium Member Abdur Razzak in the chair.

Reacting to the president's Thursday speech that equated the present government with the presidential one, Jalil said the non-party caretaker government is the outcome of a parliamentary system.

The chief adviser enjoys the powers and privileges of the prime minister and his main responsibility is to oversee elections within 90 days and hand over power to an elected government.

Demanding immediate action against the president, Jalil, who is also AL general secretary, said Iajuddin is conspiring to demolish the hard-earned parliamentary form of government to establish dictatorship in the country only to implement the political agenda of BNP-Jamaat alliance.

He said the president assumed the office of the chief adviser violating the constitution and concentrated all powers in his hand by merging the offices of the president and the chief adviser.

Instead of creating a neutral environment for a free and fair election, the president is implementing the BNP-Jamaat's agenda, the AL stalwart said, adding that BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia sent MK Anwar to ask the chief election commissioner to remain adamant not to resign so that a 'blue-print' election can be held.

Making a flashback to the history of political treachery, the AL leader said the time has come for the president to play either the role of Nawab Sirajuddowla or that of Mir Zafar.

If the 14-party demands are not met by the deadline to create a neutral environment for a free and fair election, downtown Dhaka will be made isolated from other parts of the country, district and upazila headquarters will be brought to a standstill and all ports will be shut off, Jalil said.

Among others, senior 14-party leaders Tofail Ahmed, Suranjit Sengupta, Motia Chowdhury, Dr Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Obaidul Quader, Rashed Khan Menon, Hasanul Haque Inu, Abdur Rahman, Pankaj Bhattacharya, Nurul Islam and Dilip Barua were present at the press briefing.