DHAKA, Oct 20: The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its staunch ally, Jamaat-i-Islami, submitted applications on Monday to the Election Commission on the last day of registration for the Dec 18 poll.

Now the two major rival parties of Bangladesh will face each other in the polls as the Awami League of Sheikh Hasina has already registered with the election body.

The commission extended last week its registration deadline by five days on a request of the BNP.

The election will cap the interim government’s nearly two years in power and move Bangladesh towards democracy.

The interim government, headed by former central bank governor Fakhruddin Ahmed, came to power in January 2007 after widespread political violence. It has said the election will be free and fair and has urged all parties to take part to make it credible.

All major parties have asked for an immediate end to emergency rule and to allow unhindered campaigning. —Reuters