& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Parties should help govt lift emergency

Observes UK minister

Staff Correspondent
British minister for Asia, Africa and the UN, Mark Malloch Brown, yesterday said elections without the emergency rule will enjoy greater legitimacy and credibility at home and abroad.
He called on the government and political parties to work out how to lift the emergency powers.
"One has to recognise that the government has real issues and the political parties will have to help
them so the state of emergency is lifted," he told a press conference at the end of a two-day visit to Dhaka.
Brown said Awami League President Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia should not be kept from contesting the elections because they have not yet been convicted in any case.
He however said people who have already been convicted of corruption "simply should not be allowed to stand for parliament"
SEE PAGE 15 COL 5 FROM PAGE 16
because the only effective way to fight corruption everywhere in the world is full respect for the rule of law.
He said the government was right to want to address this issue as the graft convicts might find their way into the election if the emergency were lifted.
The former UN deputy secretary-general hoped that the political parties will show responsibility towards election procedures and bring a democratic, political government back in Bangladesh.
"As a friend of Bangladesh, we are very keen to see that happen on December 18," he told the reporters at the residence of the British high commissioner.
Stressing the need for creating the right conditions for a successful and credible election, Brown said, "It's important that the political parties have the time and the freedom to campaign effectively ahead of the elections."
He highlighted the importance of public safety along the way, saying people must be able to exercise their voting rights without intimidation or manipulation.
On his meetings with Awami League and BNP leaders, he said they are anxious to contest the elections on December 18 but arc troubled by the emergency rule.
On the acceptability of the election if the BNP keeps from participating, Brown said, "It would be real disappointment for all people who hope for a stable democracy in Bangladesh" and hoped that both the major parties will go to the polls.
The British minister said Chief of Army Staff General Moeen U Ahmed is very keen to see the election take place on December 18. "The caretaker government has done its part and it is the responsibility of the political parties to step up," he added.
On what impact it would have on the UK's relations with Bangladesh if the elections were not held and the present government stayed on, he said he hopes that the government will hold the election by the end of the year for a democratic transition.
British High Commissioner in Dhaka Stephen Evans was present at the press conference.