Bangladesh's chief advisor to the interim government Fakhruddin Ahmed says general elections will be held before the end of next year.
In an exclusive interview with VOA's Bangla Service, Mr. Ahmed also said political reforms are underway to guarantee a free and fair poll.
He says his administration's anti-corruption commission is working to hear cases against more than 100 graft suspects and resolve them quickly. The army-backed interim government has detained dozens of top politicians, bureaucrats and business people in its drive to stamp out graft in Bangladesh.
Mr. Ahmed says officials are working closely with the United States to combat terrorism in Bangladesh, adding that bilateral cooperation is growing.
The chief advisor says Bangladesh's economy is improving and predicted a seven percent rate of growth in 2008. Fakhruddin Ahmed took over as head of Bangladesh's army-backed caretaker government in the wake of a political crisis in January. A state of emergency was imposed and elections canceled after months of violent street protests over electoral reforms.
