April 08, 2007	Sunday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 19, 1428

DHAKA, April 7: In a departure from her earlier statement, Sheikh Hasina, president of Bangladesh Awami League, termed the caretaker government of Fakhruddin Ahmed ‘undemocratic and unconstitutional’.

She asserted that the country could not be run under a state of emergency for long.

Hasina, now in the United States on a private visit, told BBC Bangla service in an interview, broadcast on Saturday morning, that she had extended support to some good work done by the government headed by Fakhruddin Ahmed, but opposed prolongation of the state of emergency declared in the wake of political turmoil in early January.

‘My position is clear… people will choose their government through polls.

But they are being deprived of their rights…the support we have extended to such an undemocratic and unconstitutional government notwithstanding, it cannot stay in office for long. It will not bring any good results,’ Hasina told the radio responding to the chief election commissioner’s announcement on Thursday that the country would have no elections in the next 18 months.

Prior to her departure for the US on March 15, Hasina had extended unqualified support to the interim government claiming that it was an ‘outcome of the movement of the AL-led alliance’ and said that she would endorse all decisions and activities of the interim government if her party was voted to power in the next general elections.However, Hasina told the BBC that preparation of the voters’ roll and electoral law reforms should not require so much time, and expressed her doubt whether polls would take place after 18 months.

Hasina said the interim government should not forget that it was sworn in under Article 58 (c) of the constitution, ‘under which its tenure will expire on April 12, three months after it took office’.

She accused the government as well as the Election Commission of not taking necessary measures so far for holding the general election, which was originally scheduled for Jan 22, and stalled after the president, Iajuddin Ahmed, declared a state of emergency on Jan 11.

On the CEC’s remarks on polls timeline, Hasina asked: Why this (interim) government should require one and a half years [to prepare the voters roll)?

Why could not they even start the work as yet for preparation of the electoral roll? I do not think so much time is required when there are government officials and employees in more than 4,800 union parishads (local government body).’

She said that it would not be fair to make unnecessary delay in preparing voters’ roll leaving the people in a state of confusion over the polls.

‘There is reason to doubt if elections would be held after one and a half years...the people are being pushed into uncertainty, it is not fair,’ she said.

Hasina also reminded the interim government that they came to power after 68 people had sacrificed their lives. ‘The government should not forget that.

The people should stay alert so that they are not cheated in any way,’ she said.

When reminded that it was her party which had demanded voter ID cards and electoral reforms, Hasina said, "It is true that we have made the demands as reforms are necessary. But it should not be an excuse for staying in office for long."

‘The government should have started the process by this time. Everyone is taking time. No steps are visible. If you are sincere about your work, you are not supposed to take so much time.’

Asked about the immediate plan of the Awami League, Hasina said that her party had nothing to do at the moment since there was a complete ban on political activities under a state of emergency.