The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The US delegates of Non-Resident Bangladeshis (NRBs), who participated in the three-day NRB conference in Dhaka yesterday demanded trial of war crimes and disqualifying the war criminals and anti-liberation elements along with the corrupts for contesting elections.

The expatriates also urged the election commission to take immediate steps to enrol NRBs in the voter list so that they can exercise their franchise in the next general election.

They also proposed for reserved seats in parliament for the NRBs, who are remitting huge amount of foreign currencies to Bangladesh at press conference at Dhaka Reporters' Unity auditorium in the city.

Eminent Bangladeshi scientist, living in the USA, Dr Nurun Nabi read out a written statement in the press conference. Among others, Prof Dr Abdul Momen, Munirul Islam, Abu Taleb and Joynal Abedin spoke on the occasion. They urged the government to lift the state of emergency in the country to ensure free, fair and neutral elections according to the roadmap announced by the Election Commission.

The expatriates informed that two lakh, out of five lakh Bangladeshi expatriates in the USA, are eligible for enrolling as voter.

Not only the voting right, the expatriates should be allowed to contest in the polls so that they are encouraged more to contribute to the nation, Dr Nurun Nabi said.

He praised the Caretaker Government for its anti-corruption drive and hoped that it will help building a corruption-free society in the society. At the same time, the expatriate representative said, "Democracy in the true sense could never be established in the country unless the war criminals and collaborators are made disqualified for contesting any election."

"The war criminals are must to be put on trial for the sake of democracy and a stable Bangladesh," he said.

The NRBs in USA suggested reform initiatives in some sectors including strengthening the local government bodies. They responded positively to the Chief Adviser's call for working in a concerted manner so that the country could be uplift into a middle-income country by 2021.