Dec 18 polls will be a model for future

Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma calls on Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed at his office in Dhaka yesterday.Photo: PID

Chief Adviser (CA) Fakhruddin Ahmed has said the government wants the next general election to be a model for all future elections by making sure that voters can cast vote without fear.
The head of the caretaker government made the remark when visiting Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma made a courtesy call on him at his office yesterday.
During the meeting, they discussed election, state of emergency, institutional reforms, socioeconomic progress and global economy.
Sharma said Commonwealth is looking forward to observe the upcoming general election in Bangladesh and will first send an assessment team.
He informed the CA that during his meeting with the chief election commissioner he would suggest forming an alliance among the Commonwealth member countries having independent election commission for sharing experiences.
The CA appreciated the idea, saying the present Election Commission is totally independent.
After the announcement of election schedules, all government officials and security forces engaged in election will come under the Election Commission, he said.
The Commonwealth secretary general lauded the socioeconomic achievements and the steps taken by the caretaker government in the areas like completion of voter list with photograph, separation of judiciary, making the Election Commission and the Anti-Corruption Commission independent and setting up of National Human Rights Commission.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting CA's Press Secretary Syed Fahim Munaim said the chief adviser informed the Commonwealth secretary general that the institutional reforms have been made by the present caretaker government to give a strong foundation of democracy.
About emergency, the CA told Sharma about the recent elections to four city corporations and nine municipalities amid relaxation of some provisions of the state of emergency. He said people cast their votes freely and peacefully in those elections and turnout was 80 to 90 percent.
The CA also said if necessary, the state of emergency will be further relaxed to facilitate electioneering by the political parties.
Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Secretary to CA's Office Kazi Aminul Islam and CA's Press Secretary Syed Fahim Munaim were present at the meeting.
Meanwhile, Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury has said the Commonwealth will immediately send an assessment team for elections.
“This team is likely to be followed by an observer mission”, he said while speaking to the media after a meeting with visiting Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma at the foreign ministry yesterday, said a press release.