Bangladesh's biggest party demands release of ex-PM

DHAKA, April 13 (Reuters) - The Awami League, Bangladesh's biggest party, demanded an end to the state of emergency and the release of the party's leader on Sunday, during talks with senior officials from the military-backed interim government.

During the first round of talks in the capital Dhaka, Awami League leaders said they also demanded a timetable for elections, which the government has pledged to hold before the end of the year, and steps to halt rising food prices.

Fakhruddin Ahmed, head of the interim government pledged in January to hold talks with political parties and hold free, fair and credible elections by the end of 2008.

"We will sit down with all major parties, one after another, to listen to their suggestions on how to hold an election acceptable to all," Golam Quader, an adviser (minister) in the interim government told reporters.

Five advisers and seven members of the Awami League presidium took part in the talks.

Hossain Zillur Rahman, also a member of the interim government, said a decision on the League's demands would be taken in the final stages of contacts with the country's political parties.

The interim government took charge in January last year following deadly political violence, imposing a state of emergency and cancelling elections due that month.

It pledged to organise elections by the end of this year, once corrupt political leaders had been removed and a new electoral list bearing the photograph of each voter prepared.

The government detained more than 170 political figures including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Awami League leader, and her rival Begum Khaleda Zia, another former prime minister on charges of corruption and misuse of power.

Nearly 40 of them, including several former ministers, have been convicted. Hasina is currently on trial and Khaleda's trial is due to begin soon. (Reporting by Nizam Ahmed; Editing by Jon Boyle)