DHAKA, Oct 15: A British official urged Bangladesh’s army-backed government on Wednesday to lift a state of emergency ahead of elections in December designed to restore democracy to the country.

Britain’s minister of state for Asia, Africa and the United Nations, Mark Malloch Brown, told Bangladesh’s foreign minister London wanted the polls to be “held in conditions which allow free and fair vote”.

“When I say the elections should be free and fair and legitimate, I think that as much as possible they should take place not under emergency laws but under the regular constitutional arrangements,” he said.—AFP