Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said the next election will be held as per the constitution of Bangladesh, and that her government is ready to welcome election observers.
“The next election will be held as per the constitution,” she said, while four MPs of a British all-party parliamentary group called on her at her office.
The MPs are Rushanara Ali, Jonathan Reynolds, Mohammed Yasin and Tom Hunt.
PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting.
He quoted the PM as telling the delegation that the Election Commission in the country is very much independent.
“We follow your Westminster type of democracy. We do not have any problem if election observers come," she said.
She said the Awami League as a political party has a long tradition of fighting for freeing democracy from the clutches of military rulers in the past.
The prime minister said the military rulers used to grab the state power using guns and then got into politics after forming political parties.
Sheikh Hasina also urged the British MPs to take initiatives to stop the Russia-Ukraine war.
She said as a result of sanctions and countersanctions, countries like Bangladesh have been suffering in many ways.
Foodgrains, essentials and edible oils used to come from Ukraine, she said.
“But due to the war, the import of these items is being hindered, resulting in price hikes of these items," said the premier.
She urged UK entrepreneurs to make investments in the 100 economic zones across Bangladesh.
“We will welcome UK investment there,” she said.
The British MPs expressed their satisfaction with the unprecedented infrastructural development of Bangladesh. They praised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for this development, according to the press secretary.
“They especially highly appreciated the development in the connectivity including Dhaka Metro Rail, Padma Bridge and Bangabandhu Tunnel,” he said.
The MPs think that these infrastructures will be very helpful for the development of Bangladesh, he added.
Terming Britain a development partner of Bangladesh, they said their country wants to work with Bangladesh for its development.
They said the Bangladeshi diaspora in the UK is extremely hardworking, and they are contributing to the British economy.
They also said the UK will work with Bangladesh on the climate change issue.
They also discussed the next general election in Bangladesh, Ihsanul added.
The prime minister appreciated British support to Bangladesh on climate change issues.
She said the government is serious about the climate change problem, and it has started adaptation and mitigation programs with its own resources.
She said Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman started the process initially with tree plantation along the coastal belt and the construction of multipurpose cyclone shelters by training 75,000 volunteers.
Sheikh Hasina expressed her gratitude to the late Queen Elizabeth II saying that she always gave special attention to Bangladesh as guardian of the commonwealth nations.
She also conveyed her regards to British PM Rishi Sunak.
Ambassador-at-Large M Ziauddin, Principal Secretary M Tofazzel Hossain Miah and British High Commissioner Robert Chatterton Dickson were present.