Bangladesh Political Stalemate Lingers

10-DEC-2006: Armored vehicles of the Bangladesh Army take positions near the Presidents House in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Sunday, Dec. 10, 2006. Bangladesh President Iajuddin Ahmed ordered deployment of the army across the country after an interim government failed to end a lingering political standoff over electoral reforms. (AP Photo/ Pavel Rahman) [Photo copyright 2006 by AP]

Associated Press/AP Online

DHAKA, Bangladesh - Soldiers took up positions across Bangladesh's capital Sunday to maintain order after an interim government failed to end a lingering political standoff on electoral reforms.

President Iajuddin Ahmed ordered the deployment late Saturday to aid the civil administration in a bid to quell rising fears of chaos ahead of parliamentary elections slated for Jan. 23, the Home Ministry said.

The order came after weeks of often violent protests by an alliance of 14 opposition parties demanding electoral reforms. At least 30 people have died during the unrest in this South Asian nation, which has been wracked by political violence since independence from Pakistan in 1971.

The opposition alliance, led by Sheikh Hasina, had threatened to march on the presidential palace Sunday unless its demands for changes to the Election Commission were met by midnight Saturday.

But late Saturday, the alliance postponed its protest campaign, "to give the government more time to make the changes," spokesman Abdul Jalil said.

Police banned any public gatherings or protests around the presidential palace. Armored vehicles guarded the palace, while troops and police blocked roads leading to the colonial-era building.

Army trucks patrolled Dhaka's streets, but there was no disruption of normal life on Sunday, a working day in this predominantly Muslim nation. Soldiers also patrolled other cities and towns, ATN Bangla television reported.

After meeting with other opposition leaders, Hasina said she was surprised by the troop deployment, but hoped the army would work for the benefit of the people.

"The situation did not call for it. We withdrew our program to march on the palace," she told reporters.

A four-party coalition led by Hasina's rival, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, welcomed the president's decision.

"The government has met most of their demands, but when they threatened to lay siege to the president's office, he was forced to take action," coalition spokesman Mannan Bhuiyan told reporters. "We believe he took the right decision."

Many citizens, who woke up Sunday to find troops on the streets, had mixed reactions.

"We hope they can bring order back to the streets," an office worker in Dhaka told Channel-1 station. "But they should stay only for the elections."

By law, elections must be held within 90 days of the end of the previous government. Zia's five-year term ended Oct. 28 and she handed over power to an interim administration that is overseeing elections.

The opposition alliance wants the removal of two election commissioners it accuses of bias toward Zia. Under Bangladesh's constitution, election officials cannot be fired, but must resign or go on leave.

The alliance also has demanded a revised voter list, saying the current one contains duplicate and fake names and favors Zia. The election commission has started revising the disputed list and moved back the election by two days. But the alliance said that is not enough.

The government promised Sunday to continue efforts to solve the crisis.

"We have initiated a number of steps, but we are yet to implement those fully," C.M. Shafi Sami, a government spokesman, told reporters late Saturday.

Associated Press correspondents Farid Hossain and Julhas Alam contributed to this report.