US wants to see free, fair and credible polls in Bangladesh
Saturday, 16 June 2007
Outgoing US ambassador Patricia Butenis has regretted she has to leave Bangladesh without witnessing a free, fair and credible election she hoped, reports bdnews24.com.
In her last public speech Thursday during her assignment in Bangladesh, she hoped the country would see a fair election.
She said she would leave with a lot of happy memories and a few regrets.
The speech was meant to mark the celebrations of America's Independence Day which is on July 4, as she leaves Dhaka on June 23 to take up her new assignment in war-torn Iraq. She will be working in a senior position in the US embassy in Baghdad.
The envoy, who had been close to Bangladesh's largely bickering and often bloody politics, ruled out a public perception that she had worked for a major political party.
She said she did not work for any party, she worked for Bangladeshis.
Butenis was confirmed as ambassador to Bangladesh by the Senate on Feb 16, 2006 and sworn in on March 17, 2006. She is one of the most popular, often outspoken, foreign envoys, who hit sharp media spotlight.
Prior to her assignment in Bangladesh, Butenis was deputy chief of mission at the US embassy in Islamabad for 2004-2006.
At Thursday's programme, Finance Adviser AB Mirza Azizul Islam promised a credible and fair election. Only the fittest and honest people will be elected-a hope he held out for Butenis in his speech.
Former president HM Ershad, Gono Forum chief Kamal Hossain, BNP secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, former finance minister M Saifur Rahman, Awami League presidium members Abdur Razzak and Tofail Ahmed, and FBCCI president Mir Nasir Hossain also attended the programme.
In her last public speech Thursday during her assignment in Bangladesh, she hoped the country would see a fair election.
She said she would leave with a lot of happy memories and a few regrets.
The speech was meant to mark the celebrations of America's Independence Day which is on July 4, as she leaves Dhaka on June 23 to take up her new assignment in war-torn Iraq. She will be working in a senior position in the US embassy in Baghdad.
The envoy, who had been close to Bangladesh's largely bickering and often bloody politics, ruled out a public perception that she had worked for a major political party.
She said she did not work for any party, she worked for Bangladeshis.
Butenis was confirmed as ambassador to Bangladesh by the Senate on Feb 16, 2006 and sworn in on March 17, 2006. She is one of the most popular, often outspoken, foreign envoys, who hit sharp media spotlight.
Prior to her assignment in Bangladesh, Butenis was deputy chief of mission at the US embassy in Islamabad for 2004-2006.
At Thursday's programme, Finance Adviser AB Mirza Azizul Islam promised a credible and fair election. Only the fittest and honest people will be elected-a hope he held out for Butenis in his speech.
Former president HM Ershad, Gono Forum chief Kamal Hossain, BNP secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, former finance minister M Saifur Rahman, Awami League presidium members Abdur Razzak and Tofail Ahmed, and FBCCI president Mir Nasir Hossain also attended the programme.