Former Bangladesh prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia has called for the resignation of the country's election chief, accusing him of a bias ahead of next month's parliament election. Khaleda's remarks, made late on Friday at a meeting of her Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), sparked fresh concern over the election scheduled for December to end nearly two years of emergency rule. “Chief Election Commissioner A.T.M. Shamsul Huda is trying to bring a particular party to power through the coming polls. He is not free from bias,” Khaleda said. “A free and fair election is not possible under him. So, he must quit,” she added. Huda was not immediately available for comment. Meanwhile, former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed is due to return to the country on November 10 to lead her party in December polls, her spokesman said Saturday. She will fly back home from the United States, where she has stayed for nearly five months for treatment for ear problems, her press secretary Abul Kalam Azad said. “She's now fine and will lead her party to the December 18 elections,” he said. Another election commissioner, retired brigadier-general Sakhawat Hossain, said the allegation was baseless. “We are only trying to ensure the election is held on time, is free and impartial,” he told reporters. Anwarul Iqbal, an adviser to the interim government, also dismissed Khaleda's remarks, saying neither the government or the election body had any favoured candidates or party. Khaleda did not name the party but analysts say she was pointing the finger at the Awami League, headed by her arch rival Sheikh Hasina, also a former prime minister. “It is obvious that she was referring to the Awami League,” said Ataur Rahman, chairman of the Bangladesh Political Science Association. He said that Khaleda was apparently incensed over the election chief's remarks that he wanted to make the December election like the one held in 1970 in then East Pakistan when about 80 percent people turned out to vote, the highest ever. The Awami League won that election. “The CEC should have been more careful about making comments or drawing reference (from the past) because he is walking a tight rope and must try to avoid misgivings,” Ataur told Reuters.
