Emergency may be relaxed in November: Iftekhar
Wednesday, 22 October 2008
The caretaker government may relax the state of emergency next month that will coincide with the arrival of a European Commission (EC) delegation, said Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury Tuesday, report UNB and bdnews24.com.
"The Chief Adviser has assured that the state of emergency will be relaxed to hold a free, fair and credible election," Iftekhar told reporters following a meeting with the EC Mission Head in Bangladesh, Stefan Frowein at the Foreign Ministry.
A 10-member core assessment team of the EC will arrive on Nov 6 to study the country's pre-election political situation. "The government may well make the announcement on relaxing the emergency during their stay," Iftekhar said.
Stefan Frowein after the meeting said, "I have talked to the adviser on the polls observation mission. The information continues to be that there will be relaxation or lifting of the state of emergency as soon as possible, and we will see some announcements from the government very soon."
Frowein said the EC's 10-member core group would arrive on Nov 6 for two days, and a 12-member longer-term assessment team would arrive a week later. Their assessment reports will recommend whether a European Union (EU) polls observation mission should be sent to Bangladesh to monitor the next general election under a state of emergency.
"Again I tell you these are assessment teams. They are not full observer missions. The full observation mission can come after the lifting or relaxing of the emergency," Frowein said.
"Our position has not changed. The teams that are coming will talk to as many people as possible, including those among the press, political parties and election commission, to assess the political situation and report back to Brussels whether or not a full-fledged observation mission will come," he also said.
"The Chief Adviser has assured that the state of emergency will be relaxed to hold a free, fair and credible election," Iftekhar told reporters following a meeting with the EC Mission Head in Bangladesh, Stefan Frowein at the Foreign Ministry.
A 10-member core assessment team of the EC will arrive on Nov 6 to study the country's pre-election political situation. "The government may well make the announcement on relaxing the emergency during their stay," Iftekhar said.
Stefan Frowein after the meeting said, "I have talked to the adviser on the polls observation mission. The information continues to be that there will be relaxation or lifting of the state of emergency as soon as possible, and we will see some announcements from the government very soon."
Frowein said the EC's 10-member core group would arrive on Nov 6 for two days, and a 12-member longer-term assessment team would arrive a week later. Their assessment reports will recommend whether a European Union (EU) polls observation mission should be sent to Bangladesh to monitor the next general election under a state of emergency.
"Again I tell you these are assessment teams. They are not full observer missions. The full observation mission can come after the lifting or relaxing of the emergency," Frowein said.
"Our position has not changed. The teams that are coming will talk to as many people as possible, including those among the press, political parties and election commission, to assess the political situation and report back to Brussels whether or not a full-fledged observation mission will come," he also said.