The home ministry issued a notification to that end late last night, without saying exactly when the troops will roll out. But sources in the armed forces said the deployment might start sometime this morning.

Meantime, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has imposed a ban on all kinds of gatherings, meetings and processions in the Bangabhaban area. Taking effect from Saturday midnight, the ban will be in force until further order.

In a sudden move, the president yesterday summoned the chiefs of the Armed Forces Division and National Security Intelligence (NSI) to the Bangabhaban and signed an order to deploy armed forces across the country.

Since the caretaker government's assumption of office, the president on two occasions had decided to deploy forces but backtracked in the face of stiff resistance from the advisers.

Later in the day, he passed the order to the advisory council for its consent. But the advisers vehemently opposed it.

The president has decided to deploy troops on his own account, an adviser told The Daily Star last night.

Another adviser said they [advisers] were unanimous in their opposition to the move but Iajuddin did not bother to take notice of it.

In protest at the decision, the advisers who were busy throughout the day trying to break the stalemate over reconstitution of the Election Commission (EC) left the Bangabhaban without ending their last night's meeting with the CA, sources said.

In return for anonymity, an adviser last night told The Daily Star that they tried all day to prevent the plan to deploy the army. But the president adamantly stuck to his stance.

They felt insulted by his behaviour, the adviser added.

The advisers alleged at the meeting that the favourable atmosphere that they had brought about after days of hectic negotiations is being destroyed due to the president's stance and the situation is becoming volatile again.

According to the package proposals of the advisers, two controversial commissioners--SM Zakaria and Modabbir--are to be sent on leave and new election commissioners to be appointed to reconstitute the EC. But things got complex, as the CA suddenly appeared opposed to sending Zakaria on leave.

The advisers tried to convince Iajuddin that if the EC is not recast in line with the original proposals, the parties demonstrating for electoral reforms will go for even tougher programmes.

He then answered back saying he will not allow any political party to confine him to the Bangabhaban.

He said he will deploy the army to maintain law and order, an adviser quoted the CA as saying at the meeting.

The advisers protested the remark right away and said the situation does not warrant for army deployment.

"Organising a programme is a democratic right of a political party. You can easily tackle the programmes by police, and if necessary, paramilitary BDR. But in no way can you call in the army to confront the political parties unless you proclaim a state of emergency," sources quoted an adviser as telling the president.

The other advisers echoed the view. At that point, Iajuddin told them that they might leave and that he will go ahead with his move, the sources added.

Frustrated, two of the advisers even went on to tell the president that if he keeps taking decisions unilaterally they will not attend any meeting.

At yesterday's meeting, the advisers reminded him that the proposals were drawn up in consultation with the two major political alliances and were endorsed at a meeting with the CA himself in the chair.

In reply, Iajuddin said Election Commissioner Zakaria will continue to be in the EC. His remark was followed by a heated argument between him and the advisers.

Political observers said the president's decision to deploy troops and his reluctance to implement the package proposals in its entirety might thicken the plot.

On behalf of the 14-party combine, Awami League (AL) General Secretary Abdul Jalil last night told The Daily Star, "If they [the army] take actions against the corrupt and the criminals, we will welcome them with flowers alongside the countrymen."

Asked whether the government's decision will worsen the current political crisis, he said, "First, we will observe their [army] activities and then we will comment."

"President Iajuddin is the mastermind behind the conspiracy to destroy democracy in this country," observed Jalil, also coordinator of the 14-party combine.

REVISED PROPOSAL
Earlier in the morning, the advisers came up with a new proposal saying the two controversial commissioners- Zakaria and Modabbir--will be sent on leave while there will be no new appointment to the EC.

Accordingly, they initiated a move to persuade the AL-led 14-party alliance to agree to the revised proposal, but the president did not consent to the move to make Zakaria take time off till the election is over, sources said.

The new proposal came following the opposition of the chief adviser and the BNP-led four-party alliance to the sending of Zakaria on leave.

The 14-party combine outright rejected it and demanded implementation of the original proposal regarding reconstitution of the EC, added the sources.

On receiving negative response from the AL and its allies, the council of advisers sat again in the evening to review the situation.

The morning's meeting that ended at about 1:30pm decided to open another round of negotiations with the two major political alliances.

Coming out of the four hours long meeting in the evening, Adviser CM Shafi Sami told reporters that they had initiated some measures to recast the EC, but those did not succeed.

"Some initiatives are still on and we hope a result will come by tomorrow," Shafi said.

Flanked by the waiting journalists, he admitted that their efforts have yet to yield results. "The negotiations remain stuck at one point and we are trying to get out of it."

To another query, he said the two alliances agreeing on certain proposals, the announcement of the revised election schedule, and undertaking of the voter list correction job are some of the outcomes so far.