BANGLADESH NEWS
Visiting British Foreign Office Minister for South Asia Alistair Burt MP has underscored the need for dialogue to find out a way to hold next national elections in a free and fair manner with participation of all parties.
The UK official said this at a meeting with Leader of the Opposition and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at her Gulshan office in the city on Monday noon, former foreign secretary and BNP Vice Chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury told reporters.
"During the meeting, Khaleda Zia told him that the next elections should be held under a non-party neutral government system to make the elections acceptable to all. It's the principled stand of BNP. The British minister also expressed hope on reaching an acceptable resolution through dialogue."
Explaining the position of her party, Khaleda said that her party would sit for a dialogue with the government over its demand to hold the next elections under a non-party and neutral government.
Khaleda said they have no objection if the word caretaker is changed, but it must be a non-party and neutral government.
Chowdhury also underscored the need for dialogue to find a way out of the prevailing political conundrum.
"The UK thinks that fair and credible polls need to be held in Bangladesh, so that the country's unstable political atmosphere melts down and the country moves towards economic and social stability," he said.
During the 40-minute meeting, Khaleda and Burt also discussed bilateral issues between the two friendly countries.
Responding to a query, Chowdhury said that meeting also discussed the incidents of disappearance, including that of BNP organising secretary M Ilias Ali.
'Expressing his concern over the issue, the British minister said that the matter was also discussed in the House of Lords and House of Commons of the UK. His country thinks that such incident should come to an end."
Alistair Burt, a lawmaker of the ruling Conservative Party of the UK, reached Dhaka on Monday morning on a three-day official visit.
British High Commissioner in Dhaka Robert Gibson was also present in the meeting.
The UK official said this at a meeting with Leader of the Opposition and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at her Gulshan office in the city on Monday noon, former foreign secretary and BNP Vice Chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury told reporters.
"During the meeting, Khaleda Zia told him that the next elections should be held under a non-party neutral government system to make the elections acceptable to all. It's the principled stand of BNP. The British minister also expressed hope on reaching an acceptable resolution through dialogue."
Explaining the position of her party, Khaleda said that her party would sit for a dialogue with the government over its demand to hold the next elections under a non-party and neutral government.
Khaleda said they have no objection if the word caretaker is changed, but it must be a non-party and neutral government.
Chowdhury also underscored the need for dialogue to find a way out of the prevailing political conundrum.
"The UK thinks that fair and credible polls need to be held in Bangladesh, so that the country's unstable political atmosphere melts down and the country moves towards economic and social stability," he said.
During the 40-minute meeting, Khaleda and Burt also discussed bilateral issues between the two friendly countries.
Responding to a query, Chowdhury said that meeting also discussed the incidents of disappearance, including that of BNP organising secretary M Ilias Ali.
'Expressing his concern over the issue, the British minister said that the matter was also discussed in the House of Lords and House of Commons of the UK. His country thinks that such incident should come to an end."
Alistair Burt, a lawmaker of the ruling Conservative Party of the UK, reached Dhaka on Monday morning on a three-day official visit.
British High Commissioner in Dhaka Robert Gibson was also present in the meeting.
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