In a statement, Shujan Executive Committee members also demanded that the chief adviser to the caretaker government request the president to form a supreme judicial council to remove all the election commissioners if they do not resign.

The statement said the commissioners should be removed as they failed to prepare a correct voter list, implement the High Court order fully, and wasted over Tk 150 crore of public money in the name of preparing the voter list.

Shujan Executive Committee members Prof Muzaffer Ahmad, Justice Kazi Ebadul Haque, M Hafizuddin Khan, ASM Shahjahan, Syed Abul Maqsud, Prof Tofael Ahmed, Mahfuza Khanam, Sharmin Murshid, Zakir Hossain, Badre Alam Khan and Dr Badiul Alam Majumder signed the statement.

Holding of a fair and peaceful election mostly depends on the EC, but the commission has lost people's confidence as its incompetence and activities went against the interest of the people, the statement said. The president himself admitted the EC failure in his latest address to the nation, it added.

Shujan demanded introduction of voter's ID card by implementing section 11 of the Electoral Roll Ordinance. It also said the EC must be strengthened and made independent, which is possible by amending the Representatives of People's Order.

The citizens body observed that a few necessary reforms should be made so that owners of black money, the corrupt, recently retired public servants, loan defaulters and those having business connections with the government cannot participate in the polls.

The statement said election showdown, hanging billboards, printing colourful posters, graffiti, and erection of gates should be stopped and the EC should organise "projection meetings" for the candidates to reduce election expenditures.

Shujan also demanded introduction of "no" vote to prevent corrupt people from being elected.

It said registration of the political parties should be made mandatory through an ordinance to ensure their accountability and transparency as this lacking is the major obstacle to fair elections.

The Shujan members requested the caretaker government to ensure neutrality of the law enforcers and administration and security for the minority and women.

"Many elected representatives of the people, government officers and those close to the centre of power have been looting public wealth for a long time. Such illegal activities cannot be checked in future also if these people are not punished now," Shujan said, urging action against identified criminals.