Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday came down hard on her Political Affairs Adviser HT Imam for his comments on BCS exams and role of the administration in the January 5 national elections.

Hasina castigated the adviser at a meeting of the Awami League Parliamentary Board held at the PM's official residence -- Gono Bhaban.

The ALPB members too reprimanded Imam for his comments, meeting sources told The Daily Star, preferring anonymity.

Imam's speech, the ALPB members commented, is not acceptable under any circumstance as he has given a weapon to the BNP and others to speak against the January 5 elections.

HT Imam, at a discussion at Dhaka University on Wednesday, said if members of Bangladesh Chhatra League, student front of the AL, pass the written test for recruitments in public services, the party leaders would help them with the viva voce.

He also said many pro-AL officials, before the January 5 polls, were inducted into mobile courts and this helped the government hold the election despite the BNP-Jamaat's bid to thwart it. "They [pro-AL officials] stood beside us."

Imam's speech called the government's achievements into question, sources quoted AL leaders as saying.

Tofail Ahmed said HT Imam had requested him to speak in his favour should the issue come up in the meeting.

In response, Hasina smilingly told Tofail to defend Imam with logic if he had any.

Suranjit Sengupta then termed Tofail "Imam's advocate" and said there is no chance to speak in Imam's favour following latter's comments.

At one stage, the PM asked Tofail to advise Imam to resign from his post, sources said.

AL General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, senior AL leaders Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury and Alauddin Ahmed, and office secretaries Abdul Mannan Khan and Abdus Sobhan Golap were at the meeting.

Earlier at a discussion in the capital, Suranjit advised HT Imam of being cautious while speaking.

He said the Public Service Commission is an independent and constitutional body and everyone has the right to sit any exam under it.

Trashing Imam's comments on pro-AL officials helping the party in the January 5 elections, Suranjit said the Awami League has assumed power banking on solely public support.

SIRAJGANJ BY-POLLS                                                           

At yesterday's meeting, the ALPB decided to start selling nomination paper for Sirajganj-3 by-election till Monday at Taka 25,000 apiece.

The ruling party will finalise its candidate in the constituency at its next meeting on Monday.

The parliamentary seat fell vacant after AL lawmaker Ishaque Hossain Talukder died on October 6.

The by-election will be held on December 23.