BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia has given a declaration to participate in the upcoming parliamentary election subject to fulfillment of four-point demands including full-fledged withdrawal of emergency, cancellation of section 91 E of RPO, deferment of upazila poll by a month and ensuring votes by hajj pilgrims within 48 hours.(The Bangladesh Today)

After holding meetings in two phases with BNP party leaders as well as leaders of the alliance, yesterday evening she expressed party's decision about participation in the national poll.

She said "Parliamentary election was scheduled for January 22, 2007 but this poll has been suspended for two years. During this time a crisis has taken place in country's politics and economy and everybody is knowledgeable about it. But everybody of home and abroad knows that resolution to this problem is not possible without free, fair and credible election and thereby handing over power to an elected government. "

She said BNP had demanded for creation of a congenial atmosphere for holding fair election but the government and Election Commission did not take timely steps. "One month has elapsed since the government accepted our six point demands but those are yet to be implemented. From the beginning our demands were not given importance."

She said the EC has announced election schedule but no substantial preparations have been taken by it. Even two political parties which are alliance partners have not been registered by the EC yet. The EC would like to finish election somehow within short time and by its activities it has sparked doubts about transparency of the election process.

Khaleda Zia alleged that the EC is favouring a particular political party and it seems the EC is trying to bring some party to power.

She said "Four party alliance has completed all election preparation despite all adversities and obstacles. But we are giving declaration of contesting the poll if the government and EC fulfills our above four demands."

UNB, Dhaka - Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Matiur Rahman Nizami on Monday apprehended that there is a chance for the country to slip back into a dictatorial regime if the national election scheduled for December 18 is not held.

"The election must be held in due time, or else, the country may slip back into a dictatorial regime or political orphans may form a national government," he told the opening session of the party's central Majlish-e-Shura (executive committee) meeting at Moghbazar Al-Falah auditorium.

Nizami said sending their two top leaders to jail proves that the government is not sincere to create a congenial atmosphere for holding a credible election. "We want a free, fair and neutral election with the participation of all political parties," he said.

Nazami demanded immediate liftiting of the state of emargency, withdrawal of all false cases against political leaders, release of all prisoners and a logical time gap between the national and the local-body elections.