A senior US official on Friday urged Bangladesh's army-backed interim government to lift a state of emergency before an election it has promised to hold by the end of the year. The interim government took charge in January last year following months of political violence, imposed the emergency and banned political activity and rallies. “We all understand an open and fair process for the election is not possible under the state of emergency,” Richard A. Boucher, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, told in a news conference in Dhaka on the second day of a two-day visit. “We think the emergency has to be lifted.” Boucher said he believed the interim government, headed by former Central Bank Governor Fakhruddin Ahmed, would hold an election as it has promised under the so-called roadmap for restoring democracy set by the Election Commission. “We want to see a democratically elected government ruling the country next year,” Boucher said, after meeting top government leaders and military officials. But the countries two main political parties have threatened to boycott the election unless two former prime ministers detained as part of the interim government's anti-corruption drive are released unconditionally. The Awami League and Bangladesh Nationalist Party have also said they may boycott the election if the state of emergency is not lifted. Ex-premiers Sheikh Hasina and her rival Begum Khaleda Zia have been in jail since the middle of last year, facing multiple charges of corruption and abuse of power during the 15 years, ending in October 2006, when they alternated in power. They both deny the charges, which they say are politically motivated and aimed at ending their careers. If convicted, the two women might be barred from contesting the polls.
