Bangladesh
Bangladesh Parliamentary Elections: Opposition leaders meet PM Sheikh Hasina
Dhaka, 20 August 2023 : Chief Patron of Jatiya Party and Leader of Opposition in Parliament Roshan Ershad paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
They discussed the current political situation of the country and the upcoming parliamentary elections.
She paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister at the Prime Minister's residence Ganabhaban on Saturday. Prime Minister's Deputy Press Secretary KM Shakhawat Moon told the media this information. He said that during the meeting, the Prime Minister exchanged greetings and inquired about the physical condition of Roshan Ershad.
Shakhawat Moon said that the Prime Minister and Roshan Ershad discussed the contemporary political situation of the country and the upcoming parliamentary elections.
The Prime Minister thanked the Jatiya Party for playing a constructive and positive role in parliamentary democracy. Besides, the two leaders also discussed the responsible role of opposition parties in strengthening democracy and constitutional government system.
Earlier on Wednesday, opposition leader of the National Parliament, Begum Roshan Ershad, said that the upcoming 12th National Parliament elections will be held according to the constitutional provisions. And that election will be under an independent and strong Election Commission. The election government will only assist the commission. The National Party will participate in that election.
The opposition leader also said that a caretaker government is not needed to conduct fair, impartial and acceptable elections. The Election Commission can conduct polling that is acceptable to all and participative. The Jatiya Party does not want elections under any unconstitutional government, be it a caretaker government or caretaker government.
Criticizing the caretaker governments of the past, Roshan Ershad said that none of them did justice to Jatiya Party and Pallibandhu Ershad. Jatiya Party was not treated impartially in election, polling and election campaign. The actions of the then interim government in the fifth national parliament election held in 1991 proved that they did injustice to Jatiya Party and former President Ershad.
Jatiya Party's chief sponsor said caretaker government system is never good for democracy. There is no such system in developed democratic countries of the world. An independent and strong election commission can be an acceptable solution to change the government through voting.
