It also directed the authorities to uphold the fundamental rights of the people as much as possible while formulating rules under the emergency power ordinance to enforce the state of emergency declared by the president on Thursday.

Highly placed sources in the home ministry said in accordance with the council of advisers' direction, they will exclude some fundamental rights including freedom of speech, thoughts, and movement from the prohibitive rules, which are being prepared to impose a ban on political activities like hartals, blockades, rallies, etc.

At its maiden meeting chaired by Chief Adviser (CA) Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed, the reconstituted council of advisers also discussed introduction of much talked about voter identity cards and transparent ballot boxes.

A circular will be issued soon postponing the parliamentary election, which was set for January 22, Adviser Major General (retd) Abdul Matin told reporters emerging from the meeting held in the CA's office.

The CA along with Law Adviser Barrister Mainul Hosein later at a meeting with acting Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice Mahfuzur Rahman and EC Secretary Abdur Rashid Sarkar discussed ways for holding a free and fair election.

"Both the council of advisers and the Election Commission are looking for ways to hold a free and fair election," the EC secretary said emerging from the meeting with the CA adding that the EC will soon sit for dialogues with major political parties seeking their opinion for holding the next parliamentary election in a free and fair manner.

The meeting of the council of advisers reviewed the existing law and order situation and directed the law enforcement agencies to carry out their duties carefully so that no one is harassed.

It also discussed allocation of portfolios and the CA distributed some portfolios among the advisers, keeping the ones not distributed under his own custody.

About inducting the rest of the advisers into the council, Adviser Abdul Matin said the issue was discussed in the meeting which decided that the rest of the advisers will be inducted in a couple of days.

Sources said some advisory committees, including on establishment to reshuffle the administration, will be formed after induction of the rest of the advisers. A committee on law and order will also be formed, the sources added.

As it was the first meeting of the newly formed council of advisers, they discussed a wide range of issues from law and order to the upcoming election including reconstitution of the EC, sources said.

"We will have to examine some legal matters on different issues including the constitutional provision for holding the election within 90 days of dissolution of the last parliament," an adviser said adding that the meeting however did not assign any adviser to examine the legal provisions. "Actually, we will collectively examine all the issues," he said.

Another adviser said they felt that the people's confidence in the caretaker government and the EC should be reinstated for holding a free and fair election, but they did not assess how many days will be needed to complete the massive load of tasks discussed in the meeting.

The council of advisers, which was reconstituted following resignation of President Iajuddin Ahmed from the post of CA on Thursday night amid a growing political crisis over the next parliamentary election, decided to sit every Monday and if necessary more frequently, formally and informally.

On the first day in their offices after allocation of portfolios, the advisers hoped they will be able to create an atmosphere suitable for holding a free and fair election.

PORTFOLIOS
The chief adviser kept under his custody the Cabinet Division, the establishment and home ministries, and the Election Commission Secretariat and also kept to himself the portfolios which remain to be distributed, according to a government notification.

Barrister Mainul Hosein was given the ministries of law, justice and parliamentary affairs, Parliament Secretariat, and the ministries of housing and public works, and land.

Dr AB Mirza Azizul Islam got the responsibility of running the finance ministry, the Finance Division, Economic Relations Division, Internal Resources Division, the planning ministry, the Planning Division, Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Division, and the commerce ministry.

Maj Gen (retd) MA Matin got the ministries of communications, shipping, civil aviation and tourism, and liberation war affairs.

Tapan Chowdhury got the ministries of power, energy and mineral resources, food and disaster management, science and ICT, and youth and sports.

Geetiara Safiya Choudhury was entrusted with the task of looking after the ministries of education, textiles and jute, social welfare, and women and children affairs.

"The ministries and divisions not allocated yet will remain under the chief adviser until further notice as per section 3(IV) of the Rules of Business 1996," says the notification.