Greenwatch Desk
The United States hopes that the general election in Bangladesh will be credible and fair.
The US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Desai Biswal said this during her meeting with Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia on Sunday night.The one-and-half-hour-long meeting was held at Khaleda’s Gulshan office after Biswal met with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and leaders of different political parties, civil society and top military officials.
Quoting Biswal, BNP Vice-Chairman Shamser Mobin Chowdhury told reporters the US wanted to see democratic rule and stability in Bangladesh.
The people of Bangladesh will decide on holding such election which will be accepted by all, he said quoting Biswal.
He quoted Khaleda as telling the visiting American official that her party wanted an acceptable solution to the ongoing crisis through dialogue and discussion which will ensure an evenly contested election with everyone taking part in it.
“Most of the people want this. The government should respect the people’s demand in line with democracy,” Chowdhury quoted Khaleda further as saying.
Responding to a query, Chowdhury said, “The people will give their natural response if the government holds the election ignoring their demand.”
Biswal, who was appointed only recently, did not speak to the reporters about the contents of the meeting which began around 8:30pm.
Chowdhury, however, said Biswal and Khaleda discussed bilateral interests.
Chowdhury was asked whether Biswal made any suggestions to the BNP on joining the all-party polls-time cabinet which will be sworn in on Monday afternoon.
“Giving such suggestions is out of the question. She did not come here to put pressure on us or make suggestions,” was his answer.
BNP acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, party chief’s advisors Riaz Rahman, Sabih Uddin Ahmed and US ambassador Dan Mozena were also present at the meeting.
Biswal arrived in Dhaka around noon on Saturday on a three-day visit. She met six people from different occupational backgrounds at the US envoy’s Dhaka residence that evening.
There she stressed on the need for a free and fair election in Bangladesh and praised the progress it made.
She also met former Grameen Bank Managing Director and Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.
Biswal on Sunday called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. She told the prime minister the US government wants to see holding of a credible election in Bangladesh with the participation of all the political parties.
“Deshai also observed that democracy was advancing in Bangladesh and hoped that through holding of a free and fair election, democratic practices would be accelerated in the country” prime ministers Deputy Press Secretary Bijon Lal Deb told the newsmen after the meeting.
In response the prime minister said that the government was committed to holding a free and fair election. The PM also told Deshai she hoped that all the political parties would participate in the election, Deb said.
After that, she met a group of people comprising leaders from various political parties including the Awami League, BNP, Jatiya Party and Jamaat-e-Islami.
Many civil society leaders and top military officials also attended that meeting at Mozena’s house.
Earlier in the day, the US Assistant Secretary of State also saw the BGMEA leaders.
She then met Foreign Minister Dipu Moni and Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque on Sunday. – Staff Reporter and Agencies
