Besides such a body comprising representatives from different political parties and the civil society, a national security council could also be constituted with men from the defence services, which will function neutrally as per the constitution, Dr Kamal said.

The objectives of the measures are to prepare a level playing field for the next general elections, restoring public confidence in the electoral process, ensuring participation of honest candidates and law enforcement during the elections.

The proposals were made at a seminar on "finding a way to overcome national crisis" organised by a group of young professionals at Spectra Convention Centre in the city yesterday.

Dr Kamal, however, did not attend the seminar as he was out of country. Television talk show host Zillur Rahman read out Dr Kamal's keynote paper.

The proposals were made in the wake of a number of controversies that questioned the neutrality of Chief Adviser Iajuddin Ahmed and Election Commission (EC).

The president must refrain from exercising the powers of the chief adviser and immediately transfer the responsibilities of ministries to a non-party chief adviser, Dr Kamal's paper said, demanding appointment of a non-party chief adviser in accordance with article 58C of the constitution.

The chief adviser will exercise all executive authority on the advice of the council of advisers enabling the non-party caretaker government to function as a composite body, Dr Kamal noted.

"The outgoing government is able to abuse the state machinery through assumption of the functions of the chief adviser by a partisan president," Dr Kamal said, adding that the country is being denied of this safeguard through a flagrant violation of the constitution.

Referring to the chief justice's intervention into court proceedings following three writ petitions, he said these actions manifest open and persistent defiance of the constitution in order to deprive the nation and its citizens of a free and fair election.

The EC has also been influenced through arbitrary and controversial appointments of members, Dr Kamal noted.

Lawyers, politicians and civil society members also suggested extending the tenure of the current interim government on the basis of a national consensus. A delayed fair election is more important than a timely unfair election, they said.

"Complete reforms in the Election Commission cannot be expected from a political government. So, it should be done by a non-party caretaker government, and if necessary, its tenure could be extended from 90 days to 180 days," said freedom fighter Maj Gen (retd) Syed Muhammad Ibrahim.

Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Executive Director Debapriya Bhattacharya said: "Because of the current political situation citizens are the most severely affected. Their lives and livelihood are at a stake now. The second generation electoral and political reforms such as controlling black money and muscle power, restricting the participation of immediately retired government officials, transparency of election financing have now taken a backseat."

Former Supreme Court Bar Association president Barrister Rokanuddin Mahmud said, "A fair election is more important than a timely election." The tenure of the caretaker government could be extended through a consensus, he added.

Awami League leader Abdul Matin Khasru said it is possible to introduce the electronic voting system, voter's ID card and transparent ballot box in the next election if the tenure of the interim government is extended.

Former caretaker government adviser Maj Gen (retd) Moinul Hossain Chowdhury, Dhaka University professor Ataur Rahman, BNP leaders Nitai Chandra Roy, Zahiruddin Swapan, business leaders Annisul Huq, Abdul Awal Mintoo, Jatiya Party leader Kazi Feroze, CPB leader Manjurul Ahsan Khan, and Liberal Democratic Party leader Mahi B Chowdhury also spoke at the programme.