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Hasina wanted UN-run polls

Expected chiefs of forces to 'pressure' lajuddin

Star Report
The Awami League-led grand alliance chief Sheikh Hasina resorted to all possible means to stop her rival BNP-led coalition from holding the parliamentary polls scheduled for January 22,2007.
Hasina sought a UN-mediated election rather than the prospect of the general election under the then caretaker government led by lajuddin Ahmed, according to US diplomatic cables leaked by WikiLeaks.
With street agitation getting a momentum, Sheikh Hasina also aspired that chiefs of the three forces — army, navy and air force — would exert their power to make lajuddin step down as the chief adviser (CA).
“Hasina wrote to the UN Secretary General in December [2006] asking for UN monitoring of the election,” reads a January 7,2007, cable sent by the then US ambassador to Dhaka Patricia A Butenis. She, along with the then British high commissioner Anwar Chowdhury, met the AL president the day before.
"Hasina expressed some interest in a UN mediated election, but it was clear she envisioned an election effectively run by the UN and not just UN mediation of the political issues separating the two major political alliances," the cable added.
A January 3,2007, cable by Butenis mentioned that Hasina had also expressed that the military could play a positive role in restoring order, and said “she [Hasina] now expects that the three service chiefs will pressure lajuddin to step down as Chief Advisor.”
In the run-up to the January 22 parliamentary elections, Hasina declared on January 3 that the AL-led grand alliance would boycott it and announced fresh agitation programme to resist it. On the pretext of continuing constitutional process, the caretaker government (CG), acting on the desire of the BNP-led political alliance, was making necessary preparations for holding the polls on January 22 as scheduled sans the grand alliance.
"After the press conference today [January 3,2007], Hasina told the Ambassador [Butenis] in private that she will postpone the agitation program if the Election Commission announces a new election schedule before January 5," the US diplomat wrote in the cable.
Hasina explained the boycott was justified on the grounds that President lajuddin had violated the constitution by taking over as the chief adviser, the cable added.
Although the AL had been willing to overlook his actions and work with the CG, Hasina said it was then clear that lajuddin had failed to create an environment conducive to free and fair elections.
Hasina provided a list of reasons why the AL believes that free and fair elections were not possible, the cable said, adding that she cited discrepancies in the voter list, claiming the Election Commission (EC) had already provided local election officers with voter lists that omitted the names of AL supporters and minorities.
Among other charges, she said polling stations had been moved to far off locations and alliance supporters were being harassed and arrested by police and Rapid Action Battalion.
Hasina renewed previous demands for the resignation of lajuddin as CA, postponement of the elections beyond January 22, the reconstitution of the EC and dismissal of local election officials.
To press the demands, the grand alliance announced agitation programme, beginning with a demonstration on January 5, a transport blockade for January 7 and 8, and a “siege” of Bangabhaban until he agreed to resign as CA. She also called on the law enforcement agencies "to side with the people against the vote stealers.”