Strong, independent EC a must for fair polls, says new British envoy
Declines comment on caretaker govt issue
Bangladesh's political parties should work together and cooperate to ensure that the next general election is free and fair, said newly appointed British High Commissioner in Dhaka Robert Winnington Gibson yesterday.
“A strong and independent election commission (EC) is critically important for holding free and fair elections,” he said.
Gibson, who presented his credentials to President Zillur Rahman at Bangabhaban yesterday morning, was replying to a series of questions about the next general elections at a press conference at Bay's Galleria in Gulshan.
Declining to comment on the opposition demand for elections under a caretaker government, he said it was a matter for the country's people to decide.
If the EC is chosen as a mechanism to ensure fair elections, all parties should work with it, he said. He added, though, that, “a free and fair election is in the hands of the people.”
The new British envoy, who earlier served in Bangladesh as deputy high commissioner in 2002-2005, repeatedly said Bangladesh needed a functioning parliament where all parties could debate important national issues.
Stressing the need for stability, transparency and a functioning democracy to achieve economic development, he said it was a proven fact that strong democracy prevailed in countries having functional parliaments.
Gibson avoided a direct reply when asked whether he would play the role of a mediator in the present political stalemate. He is here to continue to strengthen bilateral relations between the UK and Bangladesh, he said.
He reiterated that the British government would double its aid programme over the next four years, which will directly help 15 million people living in poverty.
“Our focus will be on achieving, together, the Millennium Development Goals, and being judged on results whilst guaranteeing greater transparency in spending British taxpayers' money in Bangladesh wisely and well,” he said.
On the changes he noticed since his last assignment in Bangladesh, Gibson said, “It's still too early for me to say.
“But so far, I have been struck by the amount of building works going on in Dhaka and the number of cars that are on the roads, which I know is a source of frustration for many.”
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