Bangladesh says making digital voter list for polls

DHAKA, May 19 (Reuters) Bangladesh's Election Commission said today it would announce a timetable for the next national election after a digital voter list is prepared.

''We will prepare a digital voter list with photographs in next 18 months to hold a credible election by the end of next year,'' Chief Election Commissioner A T M Shamsul Huda told a group of senior journalists.

''We will not delay a day beyond the stipulated time and will announce a timetable for the election when the voter list is ready.'' His remarks came after party leaders complained that the commission was delaying announcing a timetable for the election.

The army-backed interim government, headed by former central bank governor Fakhruddin Ahmed, has pledged to hold a free, fair and credible election before the end of 2008.

The commission last week asked the army to help draw up an accurate voters' list so it can hold an election next year.

The U S -based National Democratic Institute for International Affairs and Bangladesh election commission officials say the 91.4 million names on a voters' list prepared in 2006 included more than 12 million fake or duplicate names.

That list was prepared by officials appointed by the then ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party.

Abdul Jalil, general secretary of the Awami League, called the 18-month timeframe for preparation of an electoral list ''a spoiling of time.'' Jalil reiterated demands for the lifting of a ban on indoor rallies so that parties could discuss issues ahead of the election.

The interim government imposed a ban on outdoor political activity on January 11 after announcing a state of emergency following widespread violence. On March 8, they extended the ban to include indoor rallies as well.

An election planned for January 22 was postponed indefinitely after the imposition of emergency rule.

Security forces have detained more than 160 key political figures in a crackdown on corruption since January.

REUTERS GT KP2225