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.

Dhaka - Bangladesh will announce a fresh general election date on Sunday to replace the December 18 poll which has been cancelled, a top election official said Saturday.

"There will be no voting on December 18. We will announce a fresh schedule for the general elections tomorrow," Chief Election Commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda told reporters.

He was speaking after a meeting with the leaders of the Awami League-led alliance at his office. The alliance leaders said they would give their reaction later.

United Nations, Nov. 22 : United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has set up a high-level team to scrutinize the staging of parliamentary elections in Bangladesh next month.

According to a China View report, the panel has been tasked with assessing the preparations and conduct of the elections through visits to Bangladesh before and during the elections.

Dhaka - Bangladesh's election authorities have began fresh talks with major political groups to seek a consensus on changing the December election date, officials said Saturday.

Chief Election Commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda was expected to meet leaders of the Awami League-led alliance to discuss their main rival's call to move the poll date from December 18 to December 28.

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.

London, Nov. 22 : Doubts are being expressed in British Government circles about a new law that will see the minimum age at which foreigners can come to Britain to get married being increased.

There is a view that this law will invite opposition from immigrant communities, particularly Pakistanis and Bangladeshis, who have been involved in most forced marriage cases in the country.

New York  - A three-member United Nations panel is scheduled to visit Bangladesh next week to assist the caretaker government there in organizing parliamentary elections, the UN said Friday.

The Bangladeshi government requested UN help to assess the situation and make preparations for the elections in December. The panel will visit the country Sunday to November 29.

The UN said the panel will "assess the preparations and conduct of the elections through visits to Bangladesh before and during the elections."