At a crucial meeting with the president at Bangabhaban, AL President Sheikh Hasina reduced the number of her demands to five points from the previous 11 points which still include resignation of the president from the post of chief adviser and reconstitution of the Election Commission (EC).

The talks between Hasina and Iajuddin started at 10:17pm and ended around 12:50am today.

The blockade resumes as the fourth deadline set by the 14-party alliance ended yesterday without meeting their major demands.

Following the meeting with Iajuddin, 14-party Coordinator Abdul Jalil told the press at AL's Dhanmondi office that their blockade will continue until the CA takes necessary steps to meet their five-point demand.

"He (CA) has taken time until tomorrow [today] and said he will let us know about his decision. If we get any positive response from the president we will consider withdrawing our blockade programme tomorrow [today]," Jalil said adding that their ongoing movements will continue.

"We have told the president that his immediate decision is needed to bring a quick solution to the ongoing political deadlock and to create a congenial atmosphere for a free and fair election," he added.

Jalil said they told Iajuddin that he has failed to prove his neutrality as the CA and has repeatedly violated the constitution.

"We asked him to resign from the post of chief adviser and to appoint a non-partisan person as chief adviser, creating an atmosphere for a free and fair election," said Jalil, who is also the AL general secretary.

He said they asked the CA to reconstitute the EC completely through removal of the "controversial" election commissioners and cancellation of 300 "politically appointed" upazila election officers. After the EC reconstitution, the new commission will have to update again the voter roll in accordance with the High Court directives, he added.

The AL leader also asked the CA to cancel the polls schedule and announce a fresh schedule after publishing the new voter list.

Jalil said they told the CA to naturalise and depoliticise both the police and civil administrations to create a level playing field for holding a free and fair election by bringing drastic changes.

"We have also told him to cancel all the contractual appointments and withdraw the election officials loyal to the BNP-Jamaat coalition," Jalil added.

He said they asked the president not to mislead the countrymen by initiating "piecemeal" reforms.

"We have criticised the president for appointing two more controversial election commissioners, telling him that he has only complicated the ongoing crisis," Jalil said.

Talking to The Daily Star Workers' Party President Rashed Khan Menon last night said the president has taken a day's time to consider their demands. He said all advisers but Justice Fazlul Haque agreed in principle about their demands.

The other senior 14-party leaders who accompanied Hasina are Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Suranjit Sengupta, Kazi Zafarullah, Saber Hossain Chowdhury and Hasanul Haque Inu.

Meanwhile, all educational institutions, transports for hajj pilgrims, journalists and students, ambulances, vehicles carrying emergency food, medicine and newspapers have been kept out of the purview of the blockade programme.

AL Joint General Secretary Obaidul Quader told The Daily Star last night that they have duly instructed their leaders and workers in this regard.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner AMB Bazlur Rahman in a press note yesterday said the previous bans on carrying oars, poles, sticks, sickles and other firearms and holding rallies and processions on VIP roads still remain effective until further notice.

Around 20,000 members of police, Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) will be deployed in the capital to maintain law and order, DMP sources said.

"We will withdraw the blockade only if the president resigns from the post of chief adviser and appoints a non-partisan person in the post as per the constitution and meet our several other demands," Obaidul Quader told The Daily Star.

Different political parties, including Jatiya Party, Liberal Democratic Party-led Jatiya Oikya Front and a few other Islamic parties that have also brought allegations including constitution violation against the CA, will also be on the streets during the blockade, Quader said.

The 14-party alliance will enforce the blockade in the capital and all district and upazila headquarters by taking to the streets, occupying highways, shutting down the ports and preventing railway and water transportation.

Talking to The Daily Star, City 14-party Coordinator and City AL General Secretary Mofazzel Hossain Chowdhury Maya said they would set up blockades at 32 strategic points in the capital.

The alliance will also hold rallies and marches in the capital and other parts of the country.

Earlier, at a preparatory meeting at the AL central office on Bangabandhu Avenue yesterday, 14-party leaders asked the president to meet their demands immediately.

Addressing the meeting, Obaidul Quader said they would participate in the election if the president creates a "minimum" congenial atmosphere for a free and fair election through necessary reforms, including EC reconstitution and depoliticisation of the administration.

Referring to Thursday's mayhem in the High Court, he alleged that former law minister Moudud Ahmed masterminded the whole incident. He accused the chief justice of violating the oath he had taken and the constitution by staying proceedings of their writ petitions and demanded his removal.