He also termed it as a pointless issue.

"I am convinced that the main opposition AL is not exactly worried about a fair election," he said, "The demand for reform is nothing but a political strategy to ascend to the power unsettling the political arena," he said at a discussion in the city.

It is not acceptable that a system has to be reformed just because a particular party has reservation to a particular person, he said at the discussion organised by pro-Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Swadhinata Forum.

Being afraid of loosing the next general election if held free and fair, AL is demanding for reform just to create political disorder, said the minister.

AL has taken it up as its last resort having failed to make the price hike of essentials and terrorism as issues to mobilise its agitation, Huda said.

Former chief election commissioner Justice Abdur Rouf said, "It is almost impossible to find a one hundred percent neutral person in a political culture like ours to head the caretaker government."

Justice Rouf, however, urged the need for reform of the existing electoral system, correction of the present voter list, population registration, introduction of voter ID cards and empowerment of the election commission providing it with more independence and logistic support.

Partial reform of the caretaker government will not make any big difference, said the vice-chancellor of National University Prof Aftab Ahmad.

As the election commission remains helpless, it has to be empowered with more independence in order to get better results in general elections, said Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Abdul Kader Molla.

Demand for reform must be comprehensive, not of the caretaker government alone, particularly to eliminate administrative corruption to make elections fair and acceptable, said BNP Joint Secretary General Goyeshwar Roy.

Spokesperson of Jatiya Party (JP Ershad) and political secretary to its chairman, Kazi Firoz Rashid said his party is not concerned with the reform issue adding that his party would take part in the election under any system.

Vice-chancellor of Open University Prof M Ershadul Bari, JP leader Golam Sarwar Milon and Islamic Party Secretary General Advocate Abdul Mobin spoke among others at the discussion chaired by Forum President Abu Naser Rahmatullah.