Parliamentary elections postponed to 29 December

The Bangladesh Election Commission (BEC) announced on 24 November 2008 that parliamentary elections will be postponed to 29 December from 18 December. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party, one of the two main parties, asked that the elections be moved to January 2009; however, the Awami League party stated that such a move would be unfair. The BEC decided on the 11-day postponement in an effort to ensure that both parties will participate.