The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, New York

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Friday said Bangladesh may become the lead country of the proposed International Stabilizing Force for Somalia.

The formation of International Stabilizing Force for Somalia, a multinational force, remains under consideration.

The UN Secretary General expressed the view during a meeting with Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed at his UN Secretariat office at the UN Headquarters.

The Chief Adviser said the government would look into the matter positively. "Ban Ki-moon said details of the international stabilizing force for Somalia would be discussed during his expected visit to Bangladesh on November 1.

The UN Secretary General appreciated the role of Bangladesh peacekeepers in UN missions and hoped that Dhaka would continue to send peacekeepers to the UN missions.

UN millenium development goals (MDGs), food security, election, climate change and socioeconomic progress were discussed during the meeting.

Fakhruddin said Bangladesh's commitment in attaining the MDGs is continuing and the country is on the track. MDGs have been achieved in many areas, he added.

Ban Ki-moon said achieving MDGs by Bangladesh would be symbolic and an example for all UN member countries.

Fakhruddin said that the UN Secretary General during his visit to Bangladesh would see for himself the socioeconomic progress and the success achieved by the country.

Despite two successive floods and powerful cyclone Sidr, Bangladesh overcame the situation by its own resources, he said and mentioned the farmers' extraordinary performance in producing bumper crop and food with the necessary input support by the government.

The Chief Adviser said the government has made food stock of more than one million metric tons by procurement. On general election, he mentioned the completion of voters' list with photographs of over 80 million voters to hold a free, fair and credible election on December 18.

Referring to the recently held municipal and city corporation polls, he said these were indicators of free and fair elections.

The UN Secretary General hoped that a good election would be held in Bangladesh under the leadership of Fakhruddin.

Ban Ki-moon warmly welcomed the Chief Adviser and the members of his delegation at his office in the UN Secretariat.

CA's press secretary Syed Fahim Munaim briefed newsmen about the meeting.

Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Women and Children Affairs Adviser Rasheda K Chowdhury, CA's press secretary Syed Fahim Munaim and Bangladesh's Permanent Representative to UN Ismat Jahan were present at the meeting.