UNB . Dhaka

The chief adviser, Fakhruddin Ahmed, on Wednesday said his interim government and the Election Commission were going ahead with the poll roadmap to hold national elections before end of this year (2008) and that there was no reason for any doubt about it.

He made the assertion when the visiting Amnesty International secretary general, Irene Khan, paid a courtesy call on him at the Chief Adviser's Office.

The chief adviser said the main objective of the government was to hold a free, fair and credible election within the targeted timeframe and the Election Commission was working to this end as per the poll roadmap.

Various issues including lifting of restrictions under state of emergency, election, human rights, Right to Information Act, reform of the Police Act and trial of war criminals came up for discussion.

On trial of war criminals, Fakhruddin said the present government mainly focused on reforms and election. He, however said political parties could include the issue in their next election manifesto.

On trial of suspected corrupt persons, he said they were being tried in normal process under the existing law of the land. 'None is above the law and everybody is given due process.'

Irene said they would submit some recommendations to the government for expediting reforms. Similarly, they will give recommendations to the political parties.

On restrictions under state of emergency, Fakhruddin said under the state of emergency some restrictions had to be imposed.

The chief adviser, however, said if the government felt necessary, it would lift restrictions gradually, CA's press secretary Syed Fahim Munaim said.

The AI secretary general appreciated government's various reform measures and steps, including separation of the judiciary and formation of National Human Rights Commission. 'You have started remarkable things and the next government will have to follow them,' she said.

Irene said selections at Human Rights Commission are important.

The CA said they would look into proper selection of people for the NHRC, adding that the government is observing what best practices can be of Human Rights Commission in the light of other countries' Human Rights commissions.

Responding to a suggestion for making public the reports of various commissions, the chief adviser said they would try to develop a system to this end.

The director of the Amnesty International, Denmark, Lars Normann Jorgensen and head of AI secretary general's office, Judit Arenas Licsa, accompanied the AI secretary general during the meeting.

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