Move on to address religious extremism

FROM LEFT… Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and Bangladesh Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed smile at the end of "The Quest for Peace and Stability" session at the World Economic Forum in Davos yesterday.Photo: AFP

Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed apprised a world meet in Davos, Switzerland yesterday of a quiet social change underway in Bangladesh to attain economic stability through microcredit and non-formal education to address the issue of religious extremism and suicide bombings.
"Bangladesh is a peaceful country--society must be inclusive in economic and political terms and sense of belonging must be generated for ensuring peace against extremism," he said during a plenary session on "The quest of Peace and Stability" of the World Economic Forum at the Congress Centre in the Swiss city.
Fakhruddin, who was one of five top-brass panellists, said the caretaker government caught extremist elements, opened suicide-bombing cases and punished the culprits.
"Not a single bullet was fired, not a single bomb went off during this government," he told the gathering of global leaders, adding that people want a change in Bangladesh. Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Shilby were also on the panel.
Dispelling misperception against his government, he said the present government is a constitutional government with "a major aim to hold free, fair and credible elections".
He said the caretaker government has decided to talk to political parties to have a unified vision of democracy and political stability in Bangladesh.
The chief adviser, whose regime took office following a political crisis over the issue of general election, said as the election would be getting closer the state of emergency would be lifted allowing all political parties to take part in the polls.
Besides, the government strengthened the local-government system, which is important for sustaining democracy.
He said after assuming power, the government recast the Election Commission to prepare a credible voter list for fair polls. It also reformed the Anti-corruption Commission, Public Service Commission and accomplished separation of the judiciary from the executive.
He also told the meet that Bangladesh has already achieved several Millennium Development Goals, designated by the United Nations for the least developed countries.