Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said the next general election in Bangladesh will follow the form which is modelled after the British system and other parliamentary democracies across the world. Hasina, who is now on a four-day visit to the United Kingdom, said this when British Secretary of State William Hague met her at her hotel suite in London Thursday evening (local time).
PM’s Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad briefed reporters after the meeting. He said the Prime Minister, referring to the opposition’s demand for the restoration of the caretaker government, said the system was declared unconstitutional by the country’s apex court and abolished through the 15th amendment to the constitution. The Prime Minister said her government has strengthened the country’s democratic institutions, including the Election Commission, as it believes achieving the desired development of a nation is not possible without uninterrupted democracy.
In this context, Hasina mentioned the holding of about 6,000, including the recently held four city corporation polls, in a free, fair and peaceful manner where no allegation was raised against the results.
She said in the recent elections to four city corporations—
Barisal, Khulna, Sylhet and Rajshah—the opposition alliance-backed candidates came out winners.
Reaffirming that the present government is committed to holding the election in a credible manner, the Prime Minister said all the elections held under the present government over the last four and a half years were free from government interference.
She said the Election Commission held those
elections following its own election rules.
About the ongoing trial of war criminals, Sheikh Hasina said the International War Crimes Tribunals are doing a very good job in trying those who had committed unpardonable crimes against humanity during the country’s Liberation War in 1971. She mentioned that the trial of the war criminals was the demand of the whole nation and her party included it in its election manifesto.
Referring to the recent violent and destructive programmes of Jamaat-e-Islami and Hefajat-e-Islam, Sheikh Hasina said the government never allowed any vandalism and anarchy in any form. In this regard, Hasina said her government, after assuming power, contained militancy and terrorism with an iron hand.
Turning to Bangladesh’s garment sector, she said her government has taken various initiatives to ensure welfare of the country’s four million garment workers and has raised the wages of the workers by 80 per cent.
Besides, she mentioned, the prompt action of her government to conduct rescue operations with the members of army, Rab, BGB, Fire Brigade, police and volunteers after Rana Plaza collapse at Savar. She listed the successes of her government in various sectors, including agriculture, health, education, food security, and social safety net.
She thanked the British government for its help to Bangladesh in attaining some MDGs well before the 2015 timeline. The British Foreign Minister praised the tremendous development in various sectors of Bangladesh under the stewardship. Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Ambassador at-Large M Ziauddin, Bangladesh High Commissioner to Britain Mohammed Mijarul Quayes and Press Secretary Abul Klam Azad were also present at the meeting.
-With The Independent input
