Bangladesh's general elections, which was due in January this years, will now be held in late November or early December 2008, Election Commission (EC) announced on Sunday.
"It completely depends on the preparation of the voter list. If the voter list is completed earlier, the election might be held earlier," ATM Shamsul Huda, Chief Election Commissioner told a news conference.
"But it is sure that the parliamentary election will be held early December by the latest," he said.
While announcing the roadmap for the general elections, Huda said preparation of the voter list with photographs will be completed by October 2008.
Before holding the general elections, the EC will hold talks with different political parties.
About lifting of the ban on indoor politics, Huda said he had talks with the government leaders on this issue and the ban might be waived in September this year.
He also said state of emergency now in force in the country might be softened in September this year.
Prior to the national polls, the EC will stage the City Corporation and municipality elections and sub-district election after January next year.
Huda said wherever voter list will be completed, the city corporation and municipality elections will be held there.
The Chief Adviser of the current caretaker administration Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed, who was in the face of criticism from different quarters in April while addressing the nation, said the parliamentary election will be held by the end of 2008.
Bangladesh constitution specifies that the general elections will be held within three months to be organized by a non-partisan caretaker government after elected government hands over power after the end of tenure.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government headed by immediate past prime minister Khaleda Zia handed over power to a caretaker government on October 28 headed by Bangladesh President Prof. Iajuddin Ahmed.
The other major political party Awami League (AL) led by Sheikh Hasina rejected the interim government as neutral one for they were thinking Iajuddin was in favor of BNP.
AL said they would not join the election supposed to be held on January 22, and announced a non-stop countrywide blockade program to force Iajuddin to step down.
Iajuddin then announced state of emergency on January 11 after failing to alleviate the turmoil political situation and the current caretaker government backed by military took office on January 12 headed by former central bank governor Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed.
The current interim government after taking office declared a crusade against corruption and so far has arrested some 200 senior leaders, former ministers, lawmakers, top business leaders and political activists.
The current caretaker government reformed the EC and Anti- Corruption Commission and other bodies paying the way for holding a clean and credible election.
Source: Xinhua
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