Full text of chief adviser's speech

Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed

Following is the text of the speech of Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed
Dear Countrymen
Assalamualikum
At the outset I extend to you all the sincere greetings and welcome of the holy Ramadan. My sincere prayer is let the infinite blessings of Allah descend on our country and the nation in this holy month of restraint. Let the life of each of us become decent, better and glorified through self-purification, practice of restraint and devotion.
The main teachings of the Ramadan are restraint, tolerance and fellow feelings. Under the prevailing situation, I think, we should adopt these three teachings wholeheartedly. Presently, these three teachings are reflecting in the current events of the political arena of the country.
We are running the government for nearly 20 months.
Immediately after taking over the responsibility of the government I had announced that our main aim is to transfer power to a political government through a free, fair, neutral and credible election. We have not deviated even slightly from that objective.
For this, it was first necessary to bring important institutional and structural reforms in the country. As part of this, we have reconstituted the Election Commission and made it a neutral commission. Anti-Corruption Commission has been reconstituted and made it more stronger and effective. We have separated judiciary from the executive in November last year to ensure rule of law in the country.
The Election Commission is responsible for holding the elections. The duty of the government is to extend cooperation to the commission in holding the polls and creating a level playing election field, which means, to create equal opportunity for all. Indeed, right from the beginning the government has been working for creating such an atmosphere in the election.
Dear Countrymen
The subject of my speech today is not to describe the tasks that the government has completed, rather it is for seeking your cooperation in completing properly the future tasks. I would like to say, with the blessings of Allah, support of people and sincere cooperation from the political parties we have reached such a position today that henceforth, there is no scope for doubt or confusion about the election. A credible election is on the threshold of our doors. It is my firm belief that we have been certainly moving forward to the path of creating such an environment that an election must be held with the participation of all political parties Inshallah. With this end in view, we held series of dialogues with the political parties. Two leaders have already declared their willingness to participate in the polls. In my address to the nation in May last I had declared that parliamentary election will be held on any day in the third week of December. On this, I want to inform the nation that after taking decision the Election Commission told me that parliamentary elections will be held on December 18 this year. The Election Commission has also decided to hold upazila elections in two phases on December 24 and 28 next. The Election Commission will announce detail schedules of the elections in due course of time.
The Election Commission has decided to hold parliamentary election first showing honour to the requests from the majority of political parties and to avert any kind of hindrance or conflict in this journey toward transition to democracy. At the same time, keeping in mind the spontaneous desire of common people about the local government elections, upazila polls will be held immediately after the parliamentary elections. In the greater national interest the desired goal of all will be achieved through this programme.
For holding of a free, fair and acceptable election, a flawless voter list is a major element. In the past, many a controversies were created about the voters list. The Election Commission with the assistance of the members of the Armed Forces has completed the preparation the draft voter list with photographs of more than eight crore voters in only 11 months. At the same time, a database has been made to prepare the national identity card. National identity cards are also being issued. It is rare in the history of creating the electronic database of so many numbers of voters in such a short time in the world. This work is a major achievement for our government and for all the countrymen.
In the meantime, elections in four city corporations and nine pourasabhas were held in a very peaceful atmosphere. In those elections, the turnout of voters was at record high rates -- from the lowest 75 percent to the highest 92 percent. In a jubilant and festive mood, without any untoward incident, voters exercised their franchise without fear and had chosen their pourasabha representatives.
I believe, elections will be held in a free, fair and lively environment. In this contest, the question of relaxation or even withdrawal of emergency has been raised. I want to make it very clear in univocal terms that the government would not hesitate and would not retreat to do whatever would be required to hold a transparent and fair elections.
In light of the national expectation, our pledge and determination shall be reflected. The Emergency Power Rules (EPRs) will be relaxed or repealed in appropriate time so that candidates could take necessary preparations and could conduct their campaigns easily, elections could be held with free and spontaneous participation of all in a vibrant environment. Emergency was relaxed during the just concluded city corporations and pourasabha polls. In light of this experience, the government is also considering relaxation of other provisions of the EPRs. I can assure you that no rules of the Emergency Act would be a constraint to election activities. However, nobody would certainly desire that law and order would so be disrupted in the pre or during polls period making the holding of the fair elections impossible or reflection of the people's verdict in the results of the polls would be distorted. If anybody would like to create such a situation, the government would definitely tackle it with an iron hand in the greater national interest and that would have to be done for the sake of the fair elections and for the interest of transition to democracy.
My Dear Countrymen
We have all started our journey towards the process of handing over power to the government through a free election. Curbing corruption and cooperation of all are, therefore, most essential today. The political parties have to take a lead in this matter. The government has neither any hostile relationship with the political parties nor any clash of interests or objects. A corruption-free environment has to be created with collective endeavour of all, including political parties, where no prominence of black money, muscle power and evils will exist. Selfishness and immorality must take a beating to goodwill and principle. We have to keep in mind, the objective of all political parties and the government is same, the pathway is also one and, therefore, compromise, fellow feelings and tolerance are essential. Political differences are nothing uncommon, but such discord must not cripple us.
We like to see such a democratic system in the country where there will be no chaos and confrontation and where petty personal or party interest may not ruin the national interest. We dream of such a Bangladesh that will be totally free from hunger, poverty, illiteracy and conflicts. We have to continue our united thrust uninterrupted to establish a real democracy in our beloved motherland Bangladesh and to attain a desired goal by accelerating its economic prosperity.
After the forthcoming national elections, a democratically elected government will run the country. It is expected that after the national election, every one will work with unity and amity to establish a congenial and stable atmosphere in the country and the nation will come out from the vicious circle of terrorists and corrupt elements. The next government will not only continue but also expedite the process that has been initiated by the present government in the form of anti-corruption drives, lodging cases and starting trial procedures. The next government will further strengthen the institutional reform process that has been initiated by the present government. The nation expects that the next government will be sincere in dispensation of state functioning. It is our earnest hope that the political parties will come forward to materialise such expectations of the people. All have to reach a consensus on basic national issues shunning all negative and destructive politics. The nation does not want to see anarchic situation anymore.
Dear Countrymen
On this holy month of Ramadan, let us exchange mutually our good wishes. We wish all well. Let us take a pledge together that we shall prove before the world that we are a democratic, peace-loving and forward-looking nation. We will attain our goal of holding a free, fair, neutral and acceptable election as per schedule. We shall not allow deteriorating law and order in the country. We must shun conflict and confrontation. We shall totally proscribe corruption.
Dear Countrymen
We never claim that all executives of the caretaker government are above criticism. Recently, some criticisms were heard on the course of anti-corruption drives. But our all endeavours were directed centring holding of a free, fair and credible national election on priority basis and to build up a political understanding towards that goal. In this process, there may be some ebb in certain reforms initiatives. But the national politics has reached the doorsteps of cordial understanding. In future good governance will pulsate with new life through our spontaneous inventiveness attuned to this spirit.
It is my earnest believe that the political ambiance will no longer be marked by doubt and take an opposite direction.
The 2008 election will be the new milestone of our democracy, good governance, transparency and accountability. We shall join the new inspiration in the march of attaining total development of the country's progress and prosperity. Inshallah, we shall be successful. May the Almighty Allah help us.
Allah Hafez.