The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Chief of Army Staff General Moeen U Ahmed has asserted that the independence of judiciary will be made effective from November 1 next.

"It's an epoch-making step in ensuring good governance in the country, which will have to take forward in phases," he said while speaking at a gathering of Bangladeshi expatriates at Delton Club in Hamarok, on the suburb of Boston city on Sunday.

The Army Chief said the necessity of separating the judiciary was due long before, but it could not have been done because of political interest.

"Massive reforms are necessary for consolidating democracy and making Bangladesh a stable country for the welfare of the people.

"For this reason, the present caretaker government has decided to separate the judiciary from the executive," he said.

General Moeen observed that one of the principal agendas of three previous elected governments was to separate the judiciary from the executive, but they did not do that.

"The present caretaker government has done it," he said.

In order to ensure the functioning of the judiciary freely, he laid emphasis on increasing manpower at different levels. "It's necessary to mobilize sincere and dedicated persons because a free judiciary requires a large number of judges," he said.

"How we will get those judges? That is why a plan has been chalked out to train the magistrates," he said.

General Moeen said those who raised objections to the move of separation of the judiciary from the executive, they would also feel the benefit of it in future.

The Army Chief said the present caretaker government has already brought reforms in the Election Commission, Public Service Commission, and Anti-Corruption Commission for holding free, fair and acceptable polls.

General Moeen said the anti-corruption drive will continue in the country so that the corrupted persons cannot influence elections in future.

"The election will be held within next 14 months and more reforms and changes will take place before the polls," he said.

The government is considering holding election at the upazila level before the general polls, he told the gathering.

The Army Chief said the government is sincerely trying to keep the New York-Dhaka flight of Bangladesh Biman in service and he had already discussed the issue with the concerned officials considering the interest of the expatriates.

The government has many things to do for the remittance earners and is firmly committed to giving priority to their interest, he said.

The Army Chief told the expatriates that when they would leave the country, their only identity is that they are Bangladeshis.

In his 28-minute address, General Moeen said, "All of you know how the present caretaker government took over power. This government has come to power to reestablish the democracy," he said.

General Moeen said the army is part of a part of the population and where they will go leaving the country.

The function was presided over by a local expatriate businessman Shahin Khan. It was addressed by Syed Nuruzzaman.

The Army Chief will address the John F Kennedy School of Governance of Harvard University today. He will leave the United States for China tomorrow.