Desk Report :
Dhaka-based diplomats of several countries have sought to meet the president, Abdul Hamid, to hold talks on the reconstitution of the election commission.
The office of United Nations’ Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh on 10 January wrote a letter to the foreign ministry seeking an appointment of the president, reports Prothom Alo.
According to the letter, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Marcia Bernicat, British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Alison Blake, Canadian High Commissioner Benoit-Pierre Laramee, Australian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Julia Niblett, European Union ambassador to Bangladesh Pierre Mayaudon and United Nations’ Resident Coordinator Robert Watkins want to hold talks with the president about the reconstitution of the EC.
Talking to newsmen after a meeting with foreign secretary Md Shahidul Haque on Thursday, Watkins said the international community wants to see a “good election” in Bangladesh.
“So, the diplomats want to meet the president to know the steps of the government towards holding the next election.”
Expressing his optimism to get an appointment of the president, the UN Resident Coordinator said, “Our main objective is to know his decisions about the election. We don’t have any agenda.”
Government officials, however, said that diplomats can’t give their opinion on the reconstitution of the election commission as it is an internal matter of Bangladesh.
Diplomat will be informed later about steps taken to reconstitute the election commission, they said.
On condition of anonymity, a high-up government official told the Prothom Alo that appointing election commissioners is solely Bangladesh’s internal affairs.
Dhaka-based diplomats of several countries have sought to meet the president, Abdul Hamid, to hold talks on the reconstitution of the election commission.
The office of United Nations’ Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh on 10 January wrote a letter to the foreign ministry seeking an appointment of the president, reports Prothom Alo.
According to the letter, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Marcia Bernicat, British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Alison Blake, Canadian High Commissioner Benoit-Pierre Laramee, Australian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Julia Niblett, European Union ambassador to Bangladesh Pierre Mayaudon and United Nations’ Resident Coordinator Robert Watkins want to hold talks with the president about the reconstitution of the EC.
Talking to newsmen after a meeting with foreign secretary Md Shahidul Haque on Thursday, Watkins said the international community wants to see a “good election” in Bangladesh.
“So, the diplomats want to meet the president to know the steps of the government towards holding the next election.”
Expressing his optimism to get an appointment of the president, the UN Resident Coordinator said, “Our main objective is to know his decisions about the election. We don’t have any agenda.”
Government officials, however, said that diplomats can’t give their opinion on the reconstitution of the election commission as it is an internal matter of Bangladesh.
Diplomat will be informed later about steps taken to reconstitute the election commission, they said.
On condition of anonymity, a high-up government official told the Prothom Alo that appointing election commissioners is solely Bangladesh’s internal affairs.
