Dhaka, Oct 22 – BNP on Sunday night stated that visiting Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said her country expects a fair, acceptable, neutral and inclusive national election will be held in Bangladesh.BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir made the statement while briefing reporters after a nearly 45-minute meeting between the Indian minister and a seven-member BNP delegation, led by its chairperson Khaleda Zia, at a city hotel.
“She (Sushma) hoped that a fair, neutral, acceptable election will be held here with the participation of all political parties,” Fakhrul said.
He said the Indian minister also expected that the Election Commission will be able to discharge its duties for holding a neutral election.
As a democratic country, India wants a democratic environment and democratic practice to persist in other countries, especially in its neighbouring ones, the BNP leader quoted Sushma as saying.
He said the Indian minister told them that her country wants the government in each neighbouring country to be elected democratically.
Khaleda discussed with Sushma the country’s current political situation, next election and some problems in this regard, the BNP leader said, claiming that the meeting was held in a very cordial atmosphere and the two leaders focused on strengthening ties between the two nations further.
The BNP chairperson raised the Rohingya issue at the meeting and said it must be resolved, he said, adding that Khaleda told Sushma that Rohingyas were given shelter here for a temporary period and a safe environment must be created for their repatriation.
BNP secretary general said Sushma told Khaleda that India wants the Rohingyas to return to their country safely. “India has been creating pressure on Myanmar in this regard. Rohingyas will be able to return to their country safely,” he quoted Sushma as saying.
The meeting began around 8 pm at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel. The other delegation members include BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan and Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, and chairperson’s advisers Reaz Rahman and Sabihuddin Ahmed.
Later, Raushon Ershad MP held a meeting with Sushma Swaraj at the same hotel. The meeting began around 8:50 pm.
Sushma arrived at the Bangabandhu Air Force base at 1:41 pm on Sunday on a two-day official visit to Bangladesh.
This is the second visit of Sushma to Bangladesh as she visited here in 2014 after becoming the Indian External Affairs Minister. Khaleda also had a meeting with her at the same venue during her first visit. – UNB
