DHAKA, April 5: Bangladesh Chief Election Commissioner Shamsul Huda on Thursday ruled out holding of national and local elections in the next 18 months. Declining to give any time frame for the elections, he said the commission required “adequate time” for preparing voters’ rolls with photographs.

Besides, he said, the government had a major role to play in this regard, especially in creating an environment conducive to free and credible polls after purging politics of corruption and crime.

“The government has taken the initiative to purge politics of criminals and has arrested a number of people on charges of corruption. We will discuss with government high-ups when they would be able to ensure a congenial atmosphere for election after trials of corrupt people and criminals,” he told a group of reporters.