Bangladesh former brigadier named election deputy

DHAKA. Feb 14 (Reuters) Bangladesh today named a retired army brigadier-general as an election commissioner, completing a three-man panel to supervise elections in the bitterly divided nation.

The election commission has been at the centre of a political battle, with a 14-party alliance led by the Awami League demanding its revamp over accusations of a bias towards main rival Bangladesh Nationalist Party.

The appointment of Sakhawat Hossain, an outspoken critic of Bangladesh's feuding politicians, as an election commissioner, followed the installation of ATM Shamsul Huda as election chief and Sohul Hossain as his deputy, both former bureaucrats.

An election planned for January 22 was postponed after violence between activists of the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party killed at least 45 people and injured hundreds.

Bangladesh declared an emergency on January 11 and an army-backed interim administration has since then launched a drive to clean up politics before holding elections.

More than a 100 politicians have been detained as part of a crackdown on corruption.

REUTERS KD HS1711