Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Political Adviser HT Imam has said the US Embassy officials were surprised at the successful progress of the election with the participation of many parties and will send observers for the election.
He said this after his meeting with US Embassy officials at the Awami League president's political office in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi on Wednesday.
The advisor said: “It is our duty to ensure the safety of the observers who will arrive here. We have sent them a list inquiring about their security; they said they will get back to let us know what they need or where they will visit.”
He said they have discussed various issues and that the officials were happy to announce the prime minister’s ideals of election agree with that of the Americans. That was why the observers were coming here.
He said it was not the first time, and that British High Commissioner Alison Blake too had earlier visited as they have contact with Ambassadors of all countries.
HT Imam informed the US officials that Bangabandhu created RPO after the independence in 1972, which the election are based on and all the amendments on the RPO were made by the Awami League.
Responding to a query about the US observer’s opinion on the electoral environment in Bangladesh, he said: “They said that good environment prevails in Bangladesh now. One of their think tank organizations visited in October and requested to organize a dialogue with us.”
When inquired about the cancellation of the European Union observers and the attendance of the US observers, HT Imam said: “The European Union parliament have decided that the political environment of Bangladesh is ideal, therefore there is no need to send any observers here. The US observers want to see how the elections are conducted. The American and Europe systems are not the same.
“However, we have told the observers that if they wanted to monitor the elections they need to register under the Election Commission. We have informed them that the commission has a code of conduct for locals and foreigners both.”
The Prime Minister's Economic Affairs Adviser D. Mashiur Rahman and Awami League Deputy Office Secretary Barrister Biplob Barua, among others, were present at the meeting.
