Bangladesh election may be delayed: Official

Dhaka's national polls in January are expected to be delayed a few days as political turmoil over the election process grips the country.

Bangladesh's national polls in January are expected to be delayed a few days as political turmoil over the election process grips the country, an election commission official said on Thursday.

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"Today (Thursday) the election commission will hold a meeting to rearrange the election schedule and later it will be declared," election commission official SM Asaduzzaman said.

The date of the general election had been set for January 21 in a schedule unveiled last month.

A delay in the polling date, however, was expected to be only a few days, Asaduzzaman said.

Under the Bangladesh constitution, a caretaker government is required to hold elections within 90 days, which expires for this interim authority on January 25.

The Bangladesh opposition has held four nationwide blockades since October 27 to highlight its allegations that the election commission is biased in favour of the outgoing Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

The latest blockade was suspended on Monday after the interim administration requested the election commission implement reforms demanded by the opposition, including a review of the electoral roll, which it alleged was riddled with fake names.