Bangladesh election 'in December'

Bangladesh will hold delayed general elections in the third week of December, its caretaker leader says.

Fakhruddin Ahmed, who heads the military-backed interim government, made the announcement in a televised speech to the nation.

Mr Ahmed did not give a date. He also said the government would hold talks with political parties from 22 May.

Voting was due in January last year, but postponed until late 2008 after weeks of political violence.

The BBC's Mark Dummett in Dhaka says many Bangladeshis doubt whether the interim government and its military backers are either willing or able to organise elections as promised this year and then voluntarily hand power back to the politicians.

He says the government has lost support recently and many fear its anti-corruption drive is politically motivated and unjust.

Anti-corruption drive

"National elections will be held on any day in the third week of December this year," Mr Ahmed said.

He said the Election Commission would announce a specific date at a later time.

"This will dispel any misgivings among the political parties about the time frame of the election."

Mr Ahmed also said the government's emergency powers would be gradually lifted - some of the restrictions on polital activity are to end on Tuesday.

The interim government has promised that democracy will be restored by the end of the year. It said it needed the time to stamp out corruption.

A state of emergency has been in place for 16 months.

Hundreds of politicians, including two former prime ministers - Khaleda Zia of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Sheikh Hasina Wajed of the Awami League - have been arrested on corruption charges.

Observers say the government wants the parties to reorganise and choose new leaders - which it argues is essential if credible elections are to be held.

Parties are also being asked to change the way they are run, to open up their accounts to independent auditors and to agree to a code of conduct.

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