US ambassador to Bangladesh, Dan W. Mozena, on Saturday, said that dialogue is necessary to keep democracy alive in Bangladesh. “America wants to see Bangladesh go ahead, overcoming the critical moments, through dialogue. Political violence should be stopped, before building a platform for dialogue,” he said, while addressing an inaugural function on ‘USAID funded justice for all’, at a city hotel. Among others, law, justice and parliamentary affairs minister, Shafique Ahmed, law secretary ASSM Jahirul Haque, and director of National Legal Aid Service, Syed Amirul Islam, also spoke on the occasion.
The US ambassador also welcomed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s call for a dialogue.
Expressing his deep concern on the recent Rana Plaza collapse at Savar, the US ambassador said, “Bangladesh could become the next Asian Tiger, only if such incidents do not happen again.”
Shafique Ahmed said that it is not possible to restore the system of caretaker government, whatever be the cost.
“We can discuss forming an interim government, for holding a free, fair and credible election,” the law minister said.
The apex court has cancelled the caretaker government system, the law minister said, adding, “The highest court has cancelled the caretaker government system, noting that this went against the spirit of the Constitution. So, it’s not possible to restore the system.”
“The Prime Minister has said that the election will be held under the interim government, like in other democratic systems. So, discussions can be held about the framework of the interim government,” Ahmed said.
The law minister further said that the election commission is responsible for conducting the election.
“The election commission (EC) is a constitutional body. The members of the EC have taken oath before taking their posts. So, we should trust them. The EC has conducted so many elections under the present government, independently. The government never interfered in any election. That is democracy,” the law minister added.
The minister also inaugurated the five-year-long National Centre for State Courts, funded by the USAID.
It would help to get fair justice, to reduce gender discrepancy, and increase the legal capacity, the minister observed.
-With The Independent input
