DHAKA, 11 October 2007 — Bangladesh may hold parliamentary elections earlier than the planned end-2008 as authorities now hope to complete a digital voters registration list by July next year.
“We have always said that December 2008 is the cut-off...but national elections may be held earlier — even before October if the voters’ list is ready by July,” Chief Election Commissioner A.T.M. Shamsul Huda told reporters late on Tuesday.
Huda said the commission also aimed to hold municipal elections in Dhaka, Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet and Barisal by April next year.
The Election Commission hopes to hold local body elections by April 2008 if the voters’ list of concerned areas is complete by December 2007 or January 2008. Referring to parliamentary elections the CEC said voters’ list would be prepared much before time if the process continues at the current pace.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s two major political parties — Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party — have urged the army-backed interim government to release their leaders Hasina Wajed and Khaleda Zia before Eid Al-Fitr. A total of 102 former Awami League lawmakers yesterday demanded the release of the detained party chief before Eid.
