"An effort is on to misuse the army. The chief adviser's behaviour implies that he is soon going to deploy army," said Brig Gen (retd) Abdus Salam at a roundtable yesterday.

It will be a tragedy for the country's democracy if the army takes over, he said.

Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad organised the roundtable on "The role of the freedom fighters during the political crisis of the country" at the National Press Club.

"Why does the chief adviser direct the army to be prepared? Is the situation so bad that the army should be deployed to maintain law and order of the country?" Maj Gen (retd) KM Shafiullah Bir Bikram posed the question.

The police are enough to maintain the law and order in the country, he said, adding that the president and chief of the interim government made no consultation with the police, rather asked the army to be prepared for any crisis.

The people will reject the 'arms' of Iajuddin as they did during the Liberation War, he said.

He urged all the freedom fighters and pro-liberation forces to be united to uphold the spirit of independence through movement.

Major (retd) Akbar said it will be a bad news for the army if they are deployed to resist the demonstration in the streets.

There will be a worldwide reaction if the army is deployed, he said, adding that the UN will stop appointing them in the peace missions, he said, adding, "Ultimately, the army will be affected -- this should be explained to the high officials of the army."

Nazmul Hasan, a leader of Muktijoddha Sangsad Central Command Council, said the country will be in deep crisis if the army's role is debated following their deployment.

Maj Gen (retd) Helal Morshed Bir Bikram said the country's army is democratic minded but there is possibility of their being influenced when they move to remote areas and when the civil and police administration lose neutrality.

"The army, if deployed during the polls, should be provided with unbiased information and the politically appointed officials should be transferred," he said.

The army personnel are deployed to assist the police, Maj Gen (retd) KM Shafiullah said, adding, "They are to execute the orders of the magistrate. But during the last general elections, the army was given the 'magistracy power', which became a matter of concern to people."

Arrest of people by the army is against democracy, he said.

Principal Abdul Ahad Chowdhury, chairman of the Muktijoddha Sangsad Central Command Council, said they are not in favour of any political party, but they agree with the demands of the 14-party combine and will be in the streets in line with the combine.

Abdul Ahad, who presided over the roundtable, said democracy that the nation achieved is now threatened. "This time we shall move to perpetuate democracy," he said.

Brig Gen (retd) Giasuddin A Chowdhury, Col (retd) AKM Rakibul Islam, Maj Gen (retd) Syed Rafiqul Islam, Lt Col (retd) Saifur Rashid and Prof Nim Chandra Bhowmik also spoke at the roundtable moderated by Muktijoddha Sangsad Secretary General Mohammad Salauddin.