DHAKA: Bangladesh will have no elections — either parliamentary or local bodies — in the next 18 months as the Election Commission will have to prepare a voter list with photographs.

The Commission, fully re-constituted by the military-backed caretaker government, says elections will be held after 18 months.

Chief Election Commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda said: "The work for preparing the electoral roll will be completed in 18 months. But it does not mean that the election will be held just after completion of voter list.

Congenial atmosphere is essential for a free and fair election and the Government will prepare that. .... But I'm sure that there will be no elections, including national and local, in the country in 18 months."

The CEC, flanked by other Commissioners, also said the army would implement the voter-roll scheme. The statement has partially cleared the mist over the timeframe for holding the parliamentary elections scheduled for January 22 but stalled through promulgation of the state of emergency following worsening political crisis.

The statement comes amid observations by a few politicians and foreign dignitaries that there should be a timeline. The CEC was talking to journalists on Thursday about the Commission's recommendations of reforms. The objectives are to ensure a transparent electoral process, to make elections free from muscle power and black money and to create a congenial political atmosphere for honest and efficient leaders.

According to the recommendations, political parties will have to compulsorily register themselves with the Commission. A party will be eligible to register if it has been represented by at least one member in one of Parliaments since independence or if it has got at least two per cent of the total votes cast. A political party has also to submit in detail its source of income.

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