"We have asked the president to take the measurers for creating an environment for a free and fair election in the country so that the people are convinced of his neutrality," AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil told journalists after a brief meeting with the AL allies.

Prior to the briefing, a five-member delegation comprising AL leaders Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed, Abdul Jalil and Suranjit Sengupta went to Bangabhaban and handed over a list of names for advisers in the interim government to the president.

"Upon the president's request, we have handed over a list of 15 names for the posts of caretaker government advisers to him," Jalil told reporters at a press briefing at the AL Dhanmondi office.

"During the meeting we emphasised the need for more changes in the civil and police administration to depoliticise them which is necessary for holding a free and fair election," he said.

Termination of the contractual jobs of nine secretaries and transfer of another 18 were not sufficient, Jalil said, adding that the AL urged the president to continue the process.

Sources said the AL delegation submitted a number of names of officials from both civil and police administration for reshuffling. The posts include the chiefs of Directorate General of Forces Intelligence, National Security Intelligence, Rapid Action Battalion, and the police department.

The AL demanded that the president transfer all top police officials--starting from officers-in-charge (OC)--from Dhaka and other metropolitan cities.

The AL leaders demanded immediate removal of the OC of Bhanga Police Station in Faridpur for helping the former Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal president and his cadres flee with arms, Jalil said, alleging that the "politically" appointed police officials are still functioning as BNP's cadres.

The AL delegation told the president that the new home secretary had links to Jamaat and he must be transferred.

They reiterated the demand of the AL-led 14-party alliance for reconstitution of the EC by removing Chief Election Commissioner MA Aziz, other election commissioners and the EC secretary.

The AL also demanded measures to arrest the activists of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami who went rough on 14-party leaders in Rajshahi on Monday.

Jalil called on the caretaker government to try the family members of former prime minister Khaleda Zia, former ministers and MPs who plundered people's wealth.

"We have given the president time until November 3 to prove himself neutral," Jalil said, adding, "The president has assured us of taking necessary steps to ensure a free and fair election."

Earlier at another press briefing at Sudha Sadan, AL Joint General Secretary Obaidul Quader demanded that the president bring about neutrality in the state-run Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar and other news and publicity media.