DHAKA, Dec 17, 2018 (BSS) – Newly-appointed US Ambassador in Dhaka Robert Earl
Miller said his country expects the upcoming December 30 elections in
Bangladesh would be free, fair and credible as he paid a courtesy call on
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
“We hope free, fair, credible and peaceful national elections will be held
in Bangladesh on December 30,” PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim quoted the
envoy as saying during the call on at PM’s Ganabhaban residence this morning.
After the meeting, PM’s Press Secretary briefed reporters.
The US ambassador informed the prime minister that his country will send
32 observers to monitor Bangladesh’s upcoming national elections.
“Eleven teams of the US embassy will observe the polls,” he said.
The press secretary said the prime minister briefly described her party’s
struggle in restoration of democracy in the country and said that it was only
Awami League government which handed over the power peacefully in 2001 in the
history of the country.
She said that before the 2014 elections, her government offered some
ministries to the opposition to join the polls time government, but instead
they resorted to violence, arson and killing people.
In response to opposition parties’ allegations that their election campaign
is being attacked, Sheikh Hasina said two of her party-men also died in
violence during the current election campaign.
“I have asked my party-men to keep patience in this regard,” she added.
Regarding the Rohingya issue, the US envoy said that the Myanmar should
create an environment so that the Rohingyas could return to their homeland
safely.
“The USA will continue its support to Bangladesh on Rohingya issue,” he
said.
Terming the existing USA-Bangladesh relations as “strong”, Miller said the
US wants to extend cooperation further between the two countries in energy
and education sectors.
The prime minister sought cooperation from the US ambassador to resume the
Dhaka-New York flight.
Sheikh Hasina elaborated her government’s steps for the development of
education sector and said the government is distributing free textbooks among
the students up to secondary level.
While talking about the country’s economic progress, she said: “If our
party is voted to power again, our target is to attain eight percent GDP
growth in the next fiscal.”
PM’s Principal Secretary Md Nojibur Rahman, Military Secretary Major
General Mia Mohammad Zainul Abedin and PMO Secretary Sajjadul Hasan were
present on the occasion.