Bangladeshi president, who is also Chief of the caretaker government Prof. Iajuddin Ahmed, late on Sunday night sat with his 10-member advisory council to search for way out from the current political crisis, which is threatening the country's democratic process, decided to send a team of advisers to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) MA Aziz on Monday and request him to step down from his post as the president has no power to sack him.

Mahbubul Alam, adviser for Information, emerging out from the meeting early hours on Monday told reporters that the president will send a team to Aziz to request him to resign and bring an endto the present political crisis and help protect the democratic process.

But Aziz, who is defying requests from all sections of the society, on Sunday indicated his firmness to hold the post.

The former main opposition Awami League (AL)-led 14-party combine has enforced the third blockade program in the country since October 28 demanding reconstitution of the Election Commission (EC) and removal of CEC MA Aziz and his three deputies saying they are loyal to the former ruling 4-party alliance led by Bangladesh Nationalist Party of Khaleda Zia.

They said with these persons in the EC, no election will be clean and as such they will boycott the next general elections duein January next.

The blockades have paralyzed the country bringing a halt to alleconomic activities and shutting down the main sea port.

But Aziz on Sunday afternoon indicated that he will not resign from his post. He told some people at gate of his official residence, who went there with fish, meat and vegetables for Aziz as the business community decided not sell any goods to him. Aziz told them, "I am committed to discharge constitutional responsibilities. Please pray for me so that god will give me the ability to protect the constitution."

The 14-party combine chief Sheikh Hasina on Sunday met President Iajuddin Ahmed at his office and told him that he has failed to show his neutrality as the chief advisor of the non-partisan caretaker government.

Bangladesh constitution since 1996 stipulates that neutral caretaker government will stage the national elections in three months time and hand over power to the elected government.

Due to the constitutional barriers, Iajuddin cannot sack Aziz from his post and Aziz is unwilling to step down from the post.

The four-party alliance leaders are saying they will not acceptanything beyond the country's constitution.

Meanwhile, the 14-party leftist combine has enforced a countrywide non-stop blockade, the third one since October 28, which paralyzed the country as there is no transport movement in the country.

Political observers here are fearing deadly street violence as the student wing of BNP and its key partner Jamaat-e-Islami are holding a meeting near the city center.

They said they will stay on the streets to thwart agitation of the 14-party combine.

Meantime, the leaders of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) on Sunday threatened President Iajuddin Ahmed of sit-in around his office if he failed to break the current stalemate.

They have given the president 12-hour deadline to resolve the impasse by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, otherwise they would take legal action against him if the apparel sector suffered for his failure to make a decision and restore the environment for the economic activities.

"We urge the president and chief of caretaker government to resolve the political standoff within 12-hour time. Otherwise, we will stage a sit-in around Bangabhaban (President House) with our 2.6 million workers," SM Fazlul Haq, president of BGMEA told newsmen.

Textile is the largest export earners of Bangladesh, which fetches 65 percent of the total export earnings. This sector has employed 2.6 million workers, 90 percent of whom are poor women.

The BGMEA leaders earlier said a day's shut down causes the industry 2 billion taka (28.57 million U.S. dollars) loss.