There will be no election in the next 18 months in Bangladesh as preparation of a flawless voter list with voter identity cards and national identity cards will take this time, Bangladeshi television channel ATN quoted a senior official as saying on Friday.

"During this time (18 months), we will simultaneously prepare a voter list with photographs and national identity cards. Once the massive task is done, we will think about holding elections. But now we cannot give any timeline when the elections are likely to be held," Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda told a press briefing here on Thursday.

When the electoral roll is prepared, there would be a lot of other tasks to be done. The government will have to create a congenial environment for election, he said.

"So, we cannot say that parliamentary election will be held just after 18 months. We will be ready for election after 18 months if everything goes smoothly," said Huda.

According to Bangladeshi Constitution, a caretaker government supervises the country's general elections within three months after it takes office. The former ruling Bangladeshi Nationalist Party (BNP)-led four-party government headed by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia ended its five-year tenure on Oct.27, 2006 and handed over power to the caretaker government headed by Bangladeshi President Iajuddin Ahmed.

As the two major parties, BNP and Awami League (AL), could not make consensus on a series of problems, the political crisis deteriorated in the country. Under this situation, President Iajuddin Ahmed had to declare a state of emergency, canceling the election and banning political activities, and resigned from the post of chief advisor of caretaker government on Jan.11 this year.

Former central bank governor Fakhruddin Ahmed took oath as the new chief advisor of caretaker government on Jan.12. This government has been saying that it will hold a clean and credible election in the country after preparing a voter list with identity cards and doing necessary reforms in the Election Commission.

The CEC said it is not possible now to specify any timeline for holding the general election. He also disclosed a set of proposals for electoral reforms to be done as AL had been demanding for holding a clean and credible election.

"There are now so many uncertainties before us about preparation of voter list correctly. After next six to nine months, we can give a clear picture about the planned task. And now I do not dare to speak about any timeline for election," said Huda, who was appointed CEC on Feb.4 following resignation of his controversial predecessor MA Aziz.

"There was no scope to expedite our plan. This is the minimum time (18 months) subject to fulfillment of several conditions," the television quoted him as saying.