The government is contemplating continuing with the state of emergency until the general election to ensure voters’ security and thwart poll violence, Education Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman yesterday said.
He said the emergency rules would not be a bar to electioneering.
Zillur was talking to reporters after a meeting of four advisers at the communications ministry.
He said the emergency rules have already been relaxed to such an extent that it exists only in name.
Even then if there is any obstacle to election campaigns, the government will take further steps to remove them, he said.
Stating that violence, intimidation and vote-buying are election-time reality in Bangladesh, the adviser said the government wants to continue with the emergency powers keeping the security of women and minority communities in mind.
“The international community has already realised this. The European Union will follow suit soon,” he said.
He hoped that political parties would understand the matter and help the government ensure that there is no post-election violence.
On the government’s dialogue with the BNP, Zillur said, “The dialogue will be held soon. I hope it will be fruitful.”
He said the government is planning to start dialogue at the grass-roots level again to know whether there is any doubt about the election and what the people want.
No date for it has yet been finalised, he added.
Law adviser AF Hassan Ariff, LGRD Adviser M Anwarul Iqbal and Communications Adviser Ghulam Quader also attended the hour-long meeting.
Categories: Bangla, Bangladesh, Bangladesh News, Bangladesh Politics, Daily Bangladesh News
