Dhaka - Hundreds of thousands of Islamist devotees Friday converged on Bangladesh's biggest mosque Baitul Mukarrum to join in Ramadan-end mass prayers in the capital Dhaka amid a high security alert, officials and witnesses said.

The state-run Islamic Foundation which organized the prayers marking the last Friday of the Muslim month of fasting said over a quarter of a million people attended the Jumatul Wida congregation addressed by Muslim clerics.

Witnesses said Muslim worshippers blocked streets to the crowded national mosque located in central Dhaka to make additional space for people who did not find room inside the mosque.

Dhaka  - The Election Commission in Bangladesh ordered political parties to register or be disqualified from the December general election, officials said Wednesday.

"If any political party wants to contest in national polls it must first get registered with the Election Commission," chief election commissioner A T M Shamsul Huda said.

The registration is aimed at limiting the influence of money and political clout, Huda said.

Dhaka - Police and other security forces were placed on a state of high alert in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka Tuesday ahead of the biggest religious festivals of the Muslim and Hindu communities, law enforcement officials said.

A high level meeting of security officials also decided to install close circuit cameras and set up a police control room inside the Dhakeshwari national temple which is the main venue of the Durga Puja festival which celebrates the Hindu Goddess Durga.

New Delhi, Sept 22 : Thirty-six Bangladeshi nationals, including women and children were arrested in New Delhi on Monday for staying without valid documents.

According to the Deputy Commissioner of Police East Delhi, Ajay Choudhury the immigrants were taken into custody from Kalyanpuri area in east Delhi during a random search operation.

Dhaka - Political parties in Bangladesh welcomed Sunday the announcement of national and local elections by the chief of the military-backed interim government in an overnight televised address.

Caretaker government head Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed said a general election would be held on December 18 to elect a new parliament, and local elections in more than 400 sub-districts would be held in two phases December 24-28.

Rajshahi, Bangladesh - Police in the northern Bangladeshi city of Rajshahi arrested 11 members of the radical Islamist organization Hijbut Tahrir as they were preparing to address a news conference, local officials said Friday.

"The suspected Islamic militants have been detained as they arrived at the local press club to announce the group's future political programmes to the newsmen," said city assistant police commissioner Ekramul Hossain.