Dhaka: The interim Bangladesh government has formally announced that elections in the country would be held in the third week of December this year and partially lifted the ban on political parties.

Following an announcement by chief advisor to the interim government, Fakhruddin Ahmed, in a televised speech late yesterday, major political parties in the emergency-clamped Bangladesh today opened offices across the country with cautious enthusiasm.

Ahmed's speech was received with mixed reactions from various sections, with two of the major political parties criticising the interim government. "We have been hearing about the December parliamentary elections for a long time now and there was nothing new in the speech... It (the address) gave no directive regarding the country's prevailing crises, including spiraling price of essentials, " acting Awami League president Zillur Rahman said.

A leader of the "Conformist" or "Loyalist" faction of the BNP faction alleged that the speech failed to "reflect the desires of the people".

Khamdaker Dilwar Hossain also criticised the conditional lifting of the ban on "indoor" politics, questioning the government's intention.

Both parties also criticised Ahmed's speech for not mentioning anything on the lifting of the emergency and release of their jailed leaders.

BNP's Reformist faction leader Army Major (retired) Hafizuddin Ahmed, however, welcomed the speech calling it "timely" and said the speech removed all public confusion about the upcoming elections.

In his televised speech yesterday, Fakhruddin Ahmed said Bangladesh has "now reached the doorstep of a political transition".  "Today, after 16 months of reforms, we have now reached the doorstep of our ultimate desired political transition... The successful eventuality of the journey we started on January 11, 2007 is at our doorstep," Ahmed said.  

He said his government would start the proposed dialogue with political parties from May 22 and suspend other bans under the emergency "at an appropriate time" to create a favourable atmosphere for the elections.  

Immediately after his speech, the home ministry issued a notification allowing political parties to open their offices all over the country to hold meetings to discuss "only organisational affairs and preparations for the upcoming polls".  

The 16 month-old caretaker government was installed with crucial military support following the January 11, 2007 promulgation of the state of emergency by President Iajuddin Ahmed amid escalation of political violence.

The general elections, originally slated for January 12, 2007, was suspended after the emergency.  

The interim government soon after its installation launched a massive reform and anti-graft campaign which yielded separation of judiciary from the executive wing, restructuring and strengthening of the election commission and anti-corruption commission and detention or imprisonment of more than 100 influential people, mostly politicians, on graft charges.

Source : PTI