The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

Goji Sakamoto, head of the Japanese Election Observation Mission on Tuesday hoped that both the ruling and the opposition parties would respect each other and work through understanding for strengthening Bangladesh's democratic process.

Addressing a press conference, Sakamoto, who is also a member of the House of Representatives addressing a press conference at the Jatiya Press Club, described parliamentary elections of Bangladesh free, fair and peaceful under good security arrangement.

He said the overall impression of the mission is that elections were conducted in orderly manner peacefully. He said the members of his team visited one and a half dozens polling centers under Gazipur, Narayanganj and Munshiganj districts.

Sakamoto used words of praises for the caretaker government and the Election Commission for the preparation of flawless voter list. In this context, he said the voter list in previous elections was not as correct and appropriate as it was this time.

He said the overall impression of the mission is that the caretaker government in cooperation with the people conducted the election successfully and peacefully.

When his attention was drawn to allegations of irregularities made by BNP in some seats, Sakamoto said, when we visited some centers, we did not notice any irregularity rather we found polling agents of rival parties working in an atmosphere of cordiality."

Akihiro Nishimura, member of the House of Representatives, Matsushiro Horiguchi, former Japanese ambassador to Bangladesh, Professor Masaaki Obashi and Professor Kazuhiko Aiba other members of the mission were also present.

Japanese ambassador to Bangladesh Masayuki Inoue was also present at the press conference.