Trackback URL
Download PDF
US congressman Joseph Crowley on Sunday calls on Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed at a New York hotel. Fakhruddin is in the US to attend the 62nd session of the United Nations General Assembly. Photo: PID
Chief Adviser (CA) Fakhruddin Ahmed has said the next general election in Bangladesh could be held before the set deadline of December 2008 if the Election Commission (EC) completes all process in line with its road map.
The CA made the remarks when US Congressman Joseph Crowley made a courtesy call on him at his hotel suite in New York Sunday afternoon.
Crowley, co-chair of Bangladesh Caucus in the US Congress, appreciated the government’s flexibility to hold the election earlier than the announced timeframe.
Fakhruddin said the government has undertaken a gigantic task of preparing electoral roll with photograph of 90 million voters of Bangladesh within the short time, as he knows that this had not taken place in any country of South Asia.
About the Election Commission’s preparation to hold elections to the city corporations, he told Crowley that election activities would start from next January.
CA’s Press Secretary Syed Fahim Munaim, who briefed reporters, said Crowley appreciated the move and also appreciated the lifting of ban on indoor politics.
The US congressman elected from a New York constituency praised the caretaker government’s action for curbing corruption and said negative image of Bangladesh due to corruption is now disappearing.
Replying to a question of Crowley, the CA said the Anti-Corruption Commission is fully independent. He said no one is above law and every corruption suspect is getting support of the due course of law. The accused can appeal against lower court verdicts.
About corruption in police, the CA said present government is bringing about reform in the Police Act to revitalise the country’s police force.
On Trade and Investment, Crowley said they are focusing on Free Trade Agreement and have already taken initiative to do such deal with South American countries and Bangladesh has been invited in the process.
He said a congressman is moving the Trade Act Bill, which will benefit LDCs including Bangladesh.
The CA said his government apart from being concentrated on election and politics also carrying out works for establishing good governance that has already started yielding some positive results.
He said power situation has been improved by reducing load shedding through proper maintenance and said the government will sign three large contracts for increasing 450 MW of electricity.
Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, CA’s Principal Secretary Ali Imam Majumder, Bangladesh Ambassador to USA Humayun Kabir and Permanent
Representative to UN Ismat Jahan were present.
Comments are not moderated and only expresses personal views of visitors. BangladeshNews.com.bd is not responsible for commets posted by visitors.
Leave a Reply