The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

US Ambassador James Moriarty who had a long meeting with BNP chairperson and ex-PM Khaleda Zia yesterday categorically said general election would hardly be credible under the state of emergency.

After a one-and-a-half-hour-long meeting at Khaleda's Gulshan party office from 5:30 pm, the diplomat told reporters that the US government wants to see free, fair and credible elections on December 18.

In his broken Bangla language Moriarty said, "Amar Khub Kom Biswas abadh, shustha o nirapekkha nirbachan hobe jaruri khamatar adhine."

He observed it would be difficult for the people of Bangladesh to believe that the elections were held neutral under the emergency, which was declared to head off rival political parties from street fighting over the issues of election that was set for January 22, 2007 but cancelled under the circumstances.

The Ambassador, however, said the government and the political parties would be able to reach consensus on this issue.

He said US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia and he himself had also earlier conveyed this observation to the caretaker government and political parties.

Expressing the hope that the elections will be successful, Moriarty said they also discussed transition to democracy and non-patronization of terrorists.

He said he would continue the discussions with the government and the parties in the interest of restoration of democracy in the country.

BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain, former Foreign Affairs Adviser Reaz Rahman, former Foreign Secretary Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury and Political Officer of the US mission Dan Biers were present at the meeting, held on the eve of tomorrow's crucial BNP-government dialogue.

Briefing reporters, Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury said it was a courtesy call when Begum Zia categorically said BNP is a pre-election party and wants to join the election. As part of the process, BNP will sit with the caretaker government for political dialogue today.

Asked whether they raised the issue of the election under emergency, Chowdhury said it came up but they want to discuss the matter with the caretaker government instead of discussing it with a foreign envoy.

During the parley, Begum Zia said the government should defer the dates for upazila elections and set new dates. And if BNP returns to power, they will hold the upazila elections on those dates.