US extends full support to Bangladesh for political reforms

A visiting senior officials of the United States on Wednesday expressed the Bush Administrations full support to Bangladeshs military-backed interim government to implement its ongoing political reforms and the roadmap to democracy.

By Nazrul Islam

Dhaka, Sept 19 : A visiting senior officials of the United States on Wednesday expressed the Bush Administration's full support to Bangladesh's military-backed interim government to implement its ongoing political reforms and the roadmap to democracy.

"The primary purpose of my visit was to express my government's support for the important work that the Caretaker Government is doing as it prepares Bangladesh's citizens to go to the polls to elect their next government," the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia affairs, John Gastrait, told a round table discussion organised here with the editors of the country's leading newspapers.

He told the editors that he emphasised the US desire to build the strong bilateral relationship in the months remaining before the interim administration. He termed that the present relationship between the two countries were "excellent" at this moment

He appreciated the government's measures to relax the ban on politics, allowing limited political activities.

"My government welcomes the relaxation of the ban on internal politics as an important step along the road towards restoration of full democracy, and looks forward to further progress in this regard in the near future."

He said that his government encouraged Bangladeshi friends in the government to remain committed to their reform agenda, and also highlighted the interest of the international community in what was happening here in Bangladesh.

The US official is scheduled to depart from Dhaka on Thursday morning wrapping up his two-day official visit, during which he also met Chief Adviser of the interim administration Fakhruddin Ahmed, the Foreign Affairs Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Army Chief Moeen U Ahmed, Chief Election Commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda, members of the business community and a section of political leaders.

The interim government, which took over in early January after promulgation of a state of emergency, launched a massive haunt against corruption and detained mostly senior politicians including the two former prime ministers - Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia. It also pursues a political reforms agenda keeping these politicians behind the bar. The army played a substantial role in supporting the Fakhruddin Ahmed's administration to do these tasks.

In his statement, Gastright referred to his meeting with the army chief and appreciated the role of the armed forces played in the last few months in Bangladesh.

"I was frank regarding our concerns regarding human rights and due process for those detained under the state of emergency, whether on corruption charges or accused of other violations of the emergency rules.

"I welcomed General Moeen's (the chief of the armed forces) repeated assurances that he and the army do not have any political ambitions," he said, adding that he discussed ways for further strengthening cooperation between Bangladesh and US, particularly in the "war on terror".

The US official observed that Bangladesh moves close towards a full democracy. In this process, he called upon the people concerned to play their part rightly.

He felt that the political parties have an important role to play in the future of Bangladesh, and expressed his optimism about the ongoing dialogue between the parties and the election commission.

"When I met with the Election Commissioners, we discussed the implementation of the roadmap towards elections, and I reiterated our willingness to assist."

ANI