Dhaka  - Bangladesh's prominent political parties in a major shift in policy have decided to join a limited number of local government elections ending a deadlock with the military backed interim regime, officials said Saturday.

The former ruling Awami League said that it was altering the earlier decision to boycott all polls under the present caretaker government if it went ahead with its plan to hold local elections before the parliamentary vote.

"We have made some adjustments in our strategy to contest in local elections in four cities and nine towns where polls are slated for Aug 4," acting Awami League chief Zillur Rahman said.

The decision to take part in the local polls came after a two-day meeting of the party's central working committee in Dhaka.

Party spokesman Ashraful Islam said the change was made in the interest of restoring peace and democracy in the impoverished South Asian country.

The Awami League's biggest political rival, the former governing Nationalist-Islamist alliance, said the coalition partners, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, were finalizing their stand on entering the municipal polls.

The opposition parties are demanding that the state of emergency imposed on the country more than a year ago must be lifted before the year-end polls.

The local government elections have been supported by two former presidents, who have established their own parties since they were forced to stand down.

President Iajuddin Ahmad handpicked a group of professionals known for their integrity to form an army-supported interim government to restore order amidst rising political anarchy in January 2007.

At the height of the chaos, scores of political activists were killed by rival groups across the volatile country. (dpa)