The head of Bangladesh's army-backed interim government asked officials on Saturday to begin preparations for a promised year-end election, dispelling doubts expressed by the main political parties. Fakhruddin Ahmed's comments came after the country's chief election commissioner triggered speculation of a delay when he said that the election roadmap had been slightly derailed because the commission could not complete talks with political parties over the conduct of the polls. “Start preparations for holding a free, fair and acceptable election by end of the year, which is the main objective of the caretaker government,” Ahmed told a conference of district administrators. Fakhruddin asked the officials to help the election commission in preparing a new voters list. The interim administration too power in January 2007 after weeks of political violence and declared a state of emergency and vowed to hold national elections after completing a crackdown on corrupt politicians and officials. The commission has held talks with all major political parties on the conduct of the elections except the faction-ridden Bangladesh Nationalist Party because of an ongoing court case over which group was authorized to speak to the commission. The election officials has said the registration of more than 80 million voters with photographs would be completed in June, making it possible for holding the election between October and December. __
