Peaceful climate pleases C\\\'wealth

Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma has expressed satisfaction over the post-election peaceful climate in Bangladesh, saying they do not want to see any form of violence in the South Asian country. “It’s good to see that the political climate in Bangladesh has stabilised and that right-minded thinking is percolating through all political camps as evident from the recent local level elections,” he said during a meeting with Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali in London on Friday. Foreign Minister Mahmood Ali, who is now in London, briefed the Commonwealth Secretary General about the post-polls situation and the recently held upazila elections, a Foreign Ministry media release said on Saturday. Underscoring the importance of upholding the Constitution and democratic order, Sharma said the Commonwealth would not like to see any form of violence, disorder and divisiveness in Bangladesh’s democratic process. He also stressed the need for clear commitment among all political parties about the ground rules for holding elections in accordance with the Constitutional provisions. The Commonwealth Secretary General briefed the Bangladesh Foreign Minister about the work being undertaken to follow-up on the decisions of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held in Colombo in November 2013. They also exchanged views on plans for management reforms within the Commonwealth Secretariat, according to UNB.