"We want a free, fair and impartial election and for that to happen, implementation of the reforms are a must," she told the House, adding that the voter list must be amended no matter what measures the government has taken to 'engineer the election to return to power again'.

Hasina, also president of the main opposition Awami League (AL), was addressing the House, taking part in a discussion on the motion of thanks on the president's speech.

Highlighting some instances of 'the alliance government failing' in different sectors in last four years, she said, "I would like to know from the prime minister whether she will resign in agreement with the tradition of democracy when the government under her leadership has failed miserably to deliver."

In her 80-minute speech, she detailed what she said were failures of the present government to contain spiralling prices of essentials, rise of militancy, deterioration of law and order, crises of fuel, power, fertiliser, and unabated corruption by ruling alliance men.

Amid huge desk thumping by her party deputies, the AL chief also placed a total of 10 questions for the Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to reply in the House.

The opposition leader said no one but the prime minister herself is to be blamed for the 'government's failure' in combating terrorism and corruption and improving the power situation as she has been the one in charge of those ministries.

She failed dismally to fulfil her party's election pledges to root out corruption and terrorism, she added.

Recalling the prime minister's first address to the nation and the 100-day programme of her government in 2001, Hasina said, "You had pledged to run your cabinet with a spirit identical to that in the western democracies. Now I would like to know whether you will step down admitting your failures in line with the tradition of the western democracies."

"Prime Minister, you will have to tell the House what measures will you take to keep the prices of essentials within the capacity of the common people?" Hasina asked.

"What steps will you [Prime Minister] take to resolve the power crisis in the summer to spare people the ordeals of huge load-shedding?" she asked the leader of the House amid boisterous applause from the AL lawmakers.

She asked Khaleda whether her government will involve the United Nations in investigating the major crimes including the August 21 grenade attacks, murder of former finance minister Shah AMS Kibria, arms seizures in Chittagong, Bogra and Kuril of Dhaka, and all political killings under the rule of four-party alliance.

The former prime minister also wanted to know whether the cabinet members who have been accused of harbouring militants would be expelled from the government.

"Would you please inform the House when your government will separate the judiciary from the executive as per your electoral pledge?" she asked.

She demanded the government take immediate measures to make the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) a truly independent body.

In reference to Tarique Rahman, son of the incumbent prime minister, Hasina said she wonders how come a joint secretary general of a political party inaugurate an air base of the Bangladesh Air Force. Seeking an explanation from the prime minister, she said why should the chief of NSI [National Security Intelligence] accompany the senior joint secretary general in his visit to the US.

"I want to know from the prime minister if it's true that Hawa Bhaban runs as a parallel power house with the Prime Minister's Office," said the former prime minister.

During her address, Hasina demanded the motion of thanks on the president's speech be withdrawn as, she said, the speech itself admits that militancy and terrorism have diminished the government's development programme.

Pointing at the prime minister, Hasina said, "She has not faced journalists since March 9, 2002. She has been absent from the House since the opposition returned and she avoided the prime minister's question's hour for three consecutive weeks in the current session."

The prime minister also did not accept any of the 922 questions submitted by the AL members in parliament, Hasina told the House.

She said the BNP-Jamaat rule has so far been marked by price hike of essentials, unbridled corruption, rise of militancy, worsening law and order, political killings, bomb and grenade attacks, and repression on women, minorities and journalists.

"Your government has failed to add a single megawatt electricity in the last four years though you have spent about TK 12,000 crore on it," she said, alleging that the money has been plundered by the alliance loyalists.

Dismissing the government's claim of an increase in the people's purchase capacity, the opposition leader said, "Only the ruling party men's purchase capacity has increased while the common people have been subjected to immense sufferings due to price hike."

The former premier described in detail her government's success in different sectors, which she said, include increasing the power generation capacity to 4,300 MW from 1,600 MW, enabling the country to become self-sufficient in food, striking CHT peace accord and creating ample employment opportunity for the youth.

Throughout her address, Hasina faced continuous whispers and shouts from the treasury bench.

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