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Download PDF Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed yesterday told US Assistant Secretary Richard Boucher that for a credible election it is necessary to have the electoral reforms, including the anti-corruption drive to eliminate influence of money and muscle in election.
The US assistant secretary of state for south and central Asian affairs, who called on Fakhruddin in New Delhi yesterday, asked the chief adviser when the elections might be held. He also reiterated Washington’s full support to the ongoing reforms in Bangladesh.
Fakhruddin said the reform process is fully transparent and the government is fully accountable under the gaze of a “free media”.
He apprised Boucher of his government’s commitment to hold free, fair and acceptable elections only after implementing necessary electoral reforms, chief adviser’s Press Secretary Syed Fahim Munaim told The Daily Star over telephone yesterday.
Fakhruddin also met with Nepalese Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala yesterday and asked Nepal to take advantage of the Mongla Port and the improved infrastructure in Bangladesh.
Fakhruddin’s meeting with Boucher–his highest-level contact with the US government until now–took place at the end of the 14th Saarc Summit in New Delhi.
Chief adviser’s Press Secretary Fahim Munaim said Fakhruddin told Boucher that the people of Bangladesh do not want to return to its chaotic days and the government is trying to meet a variety of demands from the previously disenfranchised sections.
Boucher told the chief adviser that the US is very supportive and will continue to support the steps the Bangladesh government is taking because they wanted “people to freely choose their representatives”.
At his meeting with Nepalese PM Koirala earlier yesterday, Fakhruddin asked him to use Bangladeshi ports for his landlocked country as Bangladesh’s infrastructure and port facilities have vastly improved.
He also requested Koirala to initiate trilateral talks between India, Bangladesh and Nepal to open transit facilities between Dhaka and Kathmandu.
Fakhruddin said this will clear the way for a Dhaka-Kathmandu bus service along with expanding opportunities for trade.
Koirala told Fakhruddin that he also had to take up difficult reforms to hold the upcoming April 22 elections in Nepal. Koirala hoped Bangladesh will succeed in its efforts to hold credible and acceptable elections.
Fakhruddin asked the Nepalese PM to be a member of the Dhaka-based International Jute Study Group.
They invited each other to their respective country.
The chief adviser returned home yesterday evening.
April 6th, 2007 at 4:46 am
Let us call a refarendum to settle all outstanding political & socio economic issue of Bangladesh. All sensible people will agree with me that with the blessing of ALLAH Bangldesh
has a People’s Govt under the leadership of Dr.Fakeruddin.
Who needs corrupted Ministers, Corrupted Civil servants, corrupted power politicians and who needs an election at all ?
Let us take public opinion . It will take several decades to root out corruption from the soil of Bangladesh. Gold will recover its own colour even burnt a thousand times, but can you change the colour of coal, it will burn to ashes but will not get in to any other delightful colour.
People want leaders with the colour of gold who will maintain their Honest Character based on True Islamic ideology . They will maintain a policy of live & let live . Love for all & hate towards none!
So why such a rush for election.
People are in comfort and delight all over the world and agree with all the action taken by the Present Care taker Govt of Bangladesh.
IF you want to rush to election, Call for a referandum!
B.Ahmed