CG to hand over power to elected govt in Dec
The London-based Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has said the caretaker government is expected to hand over power to a new elected government shortly after the parliamentary election on December 18.
The EIU in its monthly report however said the caretaker government and the Election Commission (EC) need to overcome a number of obstacles in the weeks ahead to ensure that the polls are free, fair and credible.
It said the election would be regarded as free if members of all of the country's political parties are able to participate.
The recent decision by the caretaker government to grant bail to a number of important politicians, arrested as a result of its anti-corruption drive, has helped to fulfill its promise of a free election.
More importantly, the EIU said Khaleda Zia of BNP and Sheikh Hasina of Awami League, who are both under investigation for corruption, are now in a position to participate. As neither has yet been convicted, they could conceivably contest their seats and one of them could become the next prime minister.
The report said Khaleda and Hasina remain hugely popular figures, but the success of the AL at the elections for city corporations and municipalities in August suggests that it is in a favourable position to win.
The election would be deemed fair if voters are allowed to exercise their democratic rights. There remains uncertainty, however, over whether this condition can be met.
The report said severe restrictions have been placed on civil liberties since emergency rule was imposed on January 11, 2007.
Concerns over a possible deterioration in the security situation in the run-up to the polls are likely to prevent a complete lifting of emergency rule, although the government may relax certain restrictions ahead of and during the election.
But political parties will continue to make the full lifting of the state of emergency a primary condition of their participation in the election. It said maintaining emergency rule may jeopardise the credibility of the polls, especially if the European Commission decides not to send a delegation to observe the vote.
The election's integrity could be undermined further if the main political parties decide not to participate, although, given the conciliatory stance adopted by the EC in recent weeks and its ongoing efforts to engage the parties in dialogue, this seems unlikely.
The report said elections to upazila parishad are planned to be held in two phases, on December 24 and 28, but may be delayed until early 2009, in view of ongoing protests by the main parties.
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