The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Army chief of staff General Moeen U Ahmed yesterday brushed aside speculations and said that elections would be held in next December which he termed the cut off line.

Exchanging views with editors of newspapers and senior journalists at the army headquarters Gen Moeen said, "There will be nothing but demnocratic rule in Bangladesh," and added, "We will prove to the world that we have done it."

He said that the Army has no political ambitions, and would do its assigned functions to ensure security of the country. However, as patriotic citizens, 'we want honest and competent leadership to take charge of the country', he said.

Gen. Moeen said "We don't run the government, we won't do so… We have done people's welfare activities. Let the next government decide if they want to utilise our services."

He said that the Army should perform its prime duty of safeguarding security. "We will come back and play our basic role. Security means not only safety from external threat but also food security, health security, among others," he added.

He urged all to all to observe till the 31st of December and said, "Let' all work together for the development of the country." The law and order which has improved should not be allowed to deteriorate in the interest of free, fair and credible elections, he said.

Those who were present at the session included, former adviser and editor of The Independent Mahbubul Alam, Advisory editor of the Janakantha, Toab Khan, editor of Amar Desh Ataus Samad, editor of Ittefaq Rahat Khan, Editor of Prothom Alo Matiur Rahmnan, Chief Editor of BSS Jaglul Ahmed Chowdhury, editor of Jai Jai Din Shafiq Rehman, editor of Naya Diganta Alamgir Mohiuddin, editor of daily Sangram Abul Asad, editor of News Today Reazuddin Ahmed, editor of Bangladesh Observer Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, chief editor of UNB Enayetullah Khan, editor of Manab Zamin Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, editor of New Nation Mostafa Kamal Majumder, editor of the New Age Nurul Kabir, editor of Sangbad Altamas Kabir, Bureau chief of AP Farid Hossain, director of Channel I Faridur Reza Sagar, and head of news Shaikh Siraj, Chief Adviser of ATN Saiful Bari, managing director of NTV Enayetur Rahman, editor of Amader Samay, Naimul Islam Khan, editor of Bhorer Kagoj, Shyamol Datta.

The army chief said that the caretaker government has started the process of political dialogue. The government and the Election Commission have their own roadmaps for the election, he said adding some preparatory meetings had already been held the other day. He said that the photo voter list was now about 65 percent complete at the lowest possible costs.

Gen Moeen told a questioner that he did not ask for the extension of service that has been granted to him by the President for one year. The rules do not permit that, he said.

About the proposed National Security Council he said that a gazette notification in this regard had been published in the late seventies, the only thing was that it was never formed. The said council would be an advisory body with no powers. There would be representatives of the government as well as the leader of the opposition in the council, he said.

He gave a run down of the achievements made during the last 16 months and called for sustaining those. The country has great potentials which only needed to be properly harnessed, he said.

Gen Moeen acknowledged the sufferings of the poor and fixed income group people because of the unprecedented price hike of goods which he attributed to the international market situation, three successive natural disasters that destroyed 20 lakh tonnes of rice, the abnormal price hike of oil internationally, production of bio-fuel from corn and palm oil and peculiar behaviour of buyers and sellers.

He assured that the situation would improve soon after the boro harvest which is expected to yield 22 lakh tonnes of extra food grains. Already there has been a bumper potato harvest which was 30 lakh tonnes in addition to the normal 50 lakh tonnes of annual output.

In this connection he clarified his remark about potato consumption and said he never suggested potato intake instead of rice, what he said was increased intake of potato along with rice.

The army chief termed the press as the Parliament in the absence of the elected Parliament and said the government took many actions based on reports coming through the press. He sought constructive role of the mass media.