Thousands of security troops were set to guard the streets of the Bangladesh capital on Sunday, when a siege by the country's main opposition Awami League (AL) was expected to be thrown to press for electoral reforms.

AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil, who is also the coordinator of the Awami League-led leftist combine, warned on Thursday they would paralyze the government should the latter create any obstruction in their planned Dhaka siege on June 11.

On Saturday, police chief Abdul Qaiyum vowed to "do whatever required to keep the law and order under control," with officials indicating that as many as 20,000 troops may be deployed in the city to tighten security.

Meanwhile, Bangladeshi Foreign Minister M. Morshed Khan appealed to the opposition to postpone the mass siege of the capital to avoid embarrassment during a two-day visit by Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, who was due to arrive on Saturday.

"The visit of the emir of Kuwait is very important in Bangladesh's bilateral relations with the oil-rich Gulf state and overall foreign policy," the foreign minister said.

"It is a matter of great honor and privilege for the people of Bangladesh to welcome the great leader of a brotherly Muslim country like Kuwait after more than two decades," he added.

The Gulf Arab nation employs a large number of Bangladeshis, and it is also the main supplier of fuel to Bangladesh.

But no AL leader was available on Saturday for comment about Morshed Khan's request.

AL has launched general strikes and street protests to demand an early resignation of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, accusing her government of corruption. The opposition also demands governmental and electoral reforms.

Under Bangladesh's constitution, Zia will hand over power in October at the expiration of her government's five-year term. A nonpartisan caretaker government is to take over power and to supervise the general elections scheduled for January 2007.

AL insists on reforms of the non-partisan caretaker government system and of the Election Commission, fearing that the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party can maintain control over the voting.

Unless the government goes for the reforms, AL will not allow the government to hold the elections, the opposition warned.

Source: Xinhua