Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today underlined the importance of greater institutional contact between the parliamentarians of Bangladesh and Britain to further strengthen historic relations between the two countries.
The Prime Minister, now in London to attend opening ceremony of Olympic Games 2012, expressed this view when leader of the opposition and Labour Party leader Edward Samuel Miliband called on the PM at her hotel suite here this afternoon.
PM’s Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad told BSS that the Prime Minister apprised Miliband of the latest political situation of Bangladesh as well as the political processes, functioning of Jatiya Sangsad and her government’s continuous stride to strengthen institutions related to democratic governance and the rule of law.
She also informed the Labour Party leader of the development achieved by Bangladesh over the last few years in different sectors including food production, health and education, information and communication technology and poverty reduction.
Sheikh Hasina said British Labour Party and Bangladesh Awami League share a history and commonality in objectives and approach. So, both parties may formalize institutional linkage through better engagement in future, she said.
She thanked the British Labour Party leader for his continued interest in Bangladesh and support to its people for development and flourishing democracy. She mentioned the support of British government for holding a free and fair election in 2008.
“In continuation of those free and fair polls, our government is making relentless efforts to keep the country’s electoral process completely neutral and free from government interference,” she said.
Referring to the elections held in Bangladesh in the last three and a half years, she said all the polls at local and national levels were held peacefully without any influence of the government. All future election in Bangladesh will also be held in a free, fair and neutral manner, she said.
Acknowledging the popularity of Labour Party among British Bangladeshis, the Prime Minister praised Miliband’s leadership in revamping his party within British politics.
In this regard, she mentioned election of first-ever Bangladesh origin British citizen Rushanara Ali as a member of the House of Commons, her (PM’s) niece Rezwana Siddiqui Tulip as a councilor of London, and others as mayor and councilors in two boroughs of London City.
-With BSS/The Independent input
