Dhaka: Bangladeshhas announced stringent measures to bar corrupt people from occupying politicalposts by preventing them from contesting all parliamentary and local elections.

"Any person, convicted of corruption by a trial court, will bedisqualified from contesting in any election until adjudication of his appealagainst the verdict", according to an amendments to the rules of EmergencyPower Ordinance (EPO) announced by the home ministry.

"If any person is convicted of a case under these (emergency) rules or hasappealed against his sentence, he will be disqualified to contest any electionsincluding the parliamentary polls," The Daily Star quoted a home ministrystatement today. Magistrates have also been empowered to confiscate and freezeassets of a corrupt person if they do not match his actual income, the ministrysaid.

The caretaker government promulgated the rules of EPO on January 25. Theamendments to this effect came in the form of a gazette notification by thehome ministry on Tuesday.

According to the amended rules, the High Court cannot stay a lower courtverdict on corruption cases or release on bail such a convicted person untilthe adjudication of his or her appeal. A higher court must adjudicate anyappeal against a lower court verdict on a corruption case within 90 days offiling.

The new rules were part of the interim government's crackdown on corruptpoliticians. At least 25 high-profile figures including 10 former ministerswith ties with the major parties, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and AwamiLeague, have been arrested. Bangladesh'sarmy chief has warned that a list of corrupt people had been compiled andeffort to arrest them would continue.