Dhaka  - Bangladesh's election authorities Sunday announced fresh election schedules, setting new voting dates for December 29 parliamentary polls and local government upazila elections on January 22, 2009.

Announcing the fresh timetable for the polls after a series of hectic parleys with major political camps, Chief Election Commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda said he hoped that the new election dates will be acceptable to all the political parties.

"I hope the parties will begin their electioneering in a festive mood from tomorrow," Huda told a crowded press conference at his office in the evening.

Previously, the dates had been December 18 for the parliamentary polls and December 28 for the upazila elections.

According to the new schedules, submission of nomination papers for elections to 300 parliamentary constituencies will be accepted until November 30. Last date for submission of nomination papers for election to over 500 upazila councils is December 13.

The CEC held a series of parleys with top government functionaries and representatives of major political alliances led by Sheikh Hasina's Awami League party and Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party before he announced the fresh dates.

The parties have yet to respond to the fresh schedules.

The Election Commission started the fresh talks Saturday with major political groups to seek a consensus on changing the December election date as a similar dialogue, initiated by the military- backed government, failed.

The leaders of Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led alliance on Friday demanded the new election, as well as lifting the state of emergency and a review of electoral laws that allow election authorities to cancel candidacies.

Khaleda Zia on Thursday announced that her party and allies would join the polls provided her demands, including delaying in voting, are met. She also asked the military-backed government to launch fresh talks for a credible election.

The army-led emergency regime lead by Fakhruddin Ahmed detained a number of leading politicians, including Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia, on graft charges. But most of them have been released on bail.

The government has relaxed provisions of its Emergency Powers Rules to allow limited electioneering by the parties and candidates for the general election although the parties asked it for complete lifting of emergency.

During his televised speech, the chief election commissioner said that he will strongly put the issue of withdrawal of state of emergency to the government for a free, fair and credible election.

On Friday, the United Nations set up a high-level panel to assess Bangladesh's preparation for its parliamentary polls in December. (dpa)