Govt wants to strengthen electoral system: PM

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Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina Sunday said her government is making sincere efforts to give democracy an institutional shape and strengthen electoral system which was reflected in all the polls so far held under the Election Commission during the tenure of the present government, reports BSS. The Prime Minister made the comments when new British High Commissioner Robert Winnington Gibson made a courtesy call on her at her office in the city. Briefing journalists after the meeting, PM's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad said the PM told the British envoy that all elections under the present government were held in a free and fair manner where all political parties including the main opposition party participated. Sheikh Hasina said that the candidates of the opposition parties won in a significant number of seats at mayoral, union and municipality elections which manifested that government played a very neutral role in those elections. "We want to strengthen the electoral system and in view of this, the Election Commission is being strengthened so that it can perform independently to conduct free, fair and credible elections," she said. The PM welcomed the new British High Commissioner and hoped that the existing cordial relations between the two countries would be deepened further during his tenure. She appreciated the role of the UK government for duty and quota- free access of Bangladeshi goods to European market and expressed happiness at the growing trade, investment and broader economic relations between the two countries. The Prime Minister thanked the British government for broader cooperation in the areas of climate change and doubling the annual aid grants to Bangladesh from current level of 125 million pound to 250 million by the year 2015. "This reflects the success of partnership that Bangladesh and the UK have demonstrated in the field of socio-economic development," she said. The Prime Minister sought cooperation of the UK government in constructing multipurpose cyclone shelters in coastal areas of Bangladesh and dredging of the rivers to improve the water flow capacity as well as navigability of the rivers.