Emergency to go well ahead of Dec 29 JS polls: Iftekhar
Friday, 28 November 2008
Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury Thursday said the state of emergency would be lifted well ahead of December 29 general elections and it would be announced soon, reports UNB.
Talking to newsmen after a meeting with the chief of EU election observation mission, Alexander Graf Lamsdroff, at the Foreign Ministry, he hoped that a good election would be held with cooperation from all sides.
The Adviser welcomed the EU election observation mission to monitor the elections, saying that Bangladesh would return to its political tradition characterised by democracy, pluralism and liberalism.
Asked about the lifting of emergency rules, Iftekhar said the matter was discussed with Lamsdroff. "It will be lifted well ahead of the elections…a precise date of lifting (emergency) will be known soon."
He compared the caretaker government with a river and said that as a river ended up in the ocean, the caretaker government (CG) was taking all towards the ocean of elections.
Earlier, Lamsdroff said they had discussed the upcoming elections and challenges that went along with it.
He said all were expecting that the elections were going to be held in a very peaceful manner. He thanked the CG for the preparations taken so far.
Asked about the challenges to the election, Lamsdroff said he was still forming an opinion about what were the challenges and was in discussion with leaders of political parties and government. He would share the outcome of his discussion at a press conference today (Friday).
About the state of emergency, he said generally, it was desirable that it should be lifted before the elections.
EC Head of the Delegation Stefan Frowein was present in the meeting.
Talking to newsmen after a meeting with the chief of EU election observation mission, Alexander Graf Lamsdroff, at the Foreign Ministry, he hoped that a good election would be held with cooperation from all sides.
The Adviser welcomed the EU election observation mission to monitor the elections, saying that Bangladesh would return to its political tradition characterised by democracy, pluralism and liberalism.
Asked about the lifting of emergency rules, Iftekhar said the matter was discussed with Lamsdroff. "It will be lifted well ahead of the elections…a precise date of lifting (emergency) will be known soon."
He compared the caretaker government with a river and said that as a river ended up in the ocean, the caretaker government (CG) was taking all towards the ocean of elections.
Earlier, Lamsdroff said they had discussed the upcoming elections and challenges that went along with it.
He said all were expecting that the elections were going to be held in a very peaceful manner. He thanked the CG for the preparations taken so far.
Asked about the challenges to the election, Lamsdroff said he was still forming an opinion about what were the challenges and was in discussion with leaders of political parties and government. He would share the outcome of his discussion at a press conference today (Friday).
About the state of emergency, he said generally, it was desirable that it should be lifted before the elections.
EC Head of the Delegation Stefan Frowein was present in the meeting.