B'desh 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 the 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 local political party leaders complained that the election commission was delaying in announcing a timeframe 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.

A state of emergency was imposed in January in the wake of widespread violence between rival political activists. A vote planned for January 22 was cancelled and political activity banned.

Security forces have detained more than 160 key political figures in a crackdown on corruption since January. They include Khaleda's elder son and political heir apparent Tareque Rahman and over a dozen former ministers.

REUTERS agl ht1710