The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina yesterday said she would take initiative for making the next parliament effective.

She reiterated that deputy speaker would be selected from the opposition parties.

Hasina also pledged to recruit chairman of different steering committees of different ministries from opposition parties proportionate of the seats they have won in the just concluded general elections.

She made these remarks during a meeting with United Nations' (UN) special panel at her Sudha Sadan residence at Dhanmondi.

A six-member delegation led by Frances Vendrell, Head of UN Secretary General's High-Level Panel on Bangladesh Parliamentary Election 2008,took part in the meeting.

After the meeting, Dr Hasan Mahmud, Special Assistant to Sheikh Hasina, told reporters that during the talks the AL chief expressed her intention to carry out anti-corruption drive impartially and within legal framework during her tenure.

"They discussed issues on providing assistance to the elected government for the improvement of all the sectors of Bangladesh and how the UN can contribute to the development process," Mahmud said.

Mahmaud further said that the UN delegates congratulated Sheikh Hasina on the landslide victory of the grand alliance and thanked her for delivering a splendid speech at her post-election press conference.

Arrangement of training session for the newly elected parliamentary members also came up during the meeting," he added. Mahmud declined to make any comment when asked about the size of the cabinet and the probable members to be inducted into the cabinet.

Later talking to newsmen, Vendrell said they came to Sudha Sadan to congratulate Hasina for the grand victory of her party. "We have discussed about the future plan of the next government and the possible ways of contributing to different development activities of the country," he noted.

To a question whether the parliamentary election was held in fair manner, Vendrell said they have not come here as election observers. But, according to the reports of different local and international observers, the election was held in free, fair and credible manner and under peaceful climate, he remarked.

He hoped that the new government would take office soon.

Vendrell also expressed the hope that there would be no 'provocation' centering the elections from any side.

On the question of their help for bringing the war criminals under trial, he said, " We are not in a position to talk on this issue. But if the Bangladesh government seeks help, we will try to help because UN usually extended help on such issue to different countries. We had similar requests in the past," he said.

Panel members Nepal's chief election commissioner Bhojraj Pokhrel and deputy director of UN's electoral assistance division Aracelly Santana were among the delegates at the meeting.

Soon after the meeting, Sheikh Hasina came to the corridor of Sudha Sadan and addressed a large gathering of party leaders and activists. She waved to them and delivered a speech through hand mike.

"The people have given us the responsibility of running the country. Please pray to Allah for giving us strength to serve the country properly," Hasina said.

She also thanked the people of the country for voting them to power.