UK to brace free, fair election

Staff Reporter :

The United Kingdom is ready to support free, fair and credible parliamentary poll in Bangladesh to be held in February next year.

“I reconfirmed the UK’s support for free, fair, credible and peaceful national election here in Bangladesh next year,” British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke said on Monday.

She came up with the remarks with the journalists after holding meeting with Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin at the latter’s office in Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital.

About the election timeframe, she said that her government has welcomed the move of the interim government for the announcement of the general election under the supervision of the Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus.

In reply to a question of her meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner, she said the meeting was very constructive and good.
“We commend the efforts of the Election Commission and the Interim Government,” Sarah Cooke said.

Talking about her government and international partners, the British Envoy said, “We are supporting the Election Commission, particularly through national civic education programmes, particularly for vulnerable groups here in the country, and also the training of polling staff.”

She further said that the agenda of the meeting was to discuss the UK’s support to the Election Commission.

Asked about whether the election would be inclusive, she said, “I’m not going to give any other lines. As I said, the UK is supporting free, fair, credible, and peaceful elections here in Bangladesh next year.”