Australia wants to see a free, fair and credible election in Bangladesh and remains committed to supporting that goal, Bangladesh Nationalist Party standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said on Thursday.
Following a meeting with Australian high commissioner Susan Ryle at the BNP chair鈥檚 office in Gulshan, Khasru told reporters that the BNP believed, along with its international partners, that voter turnout in the upcoming Jatiya Sangsad elections would be very strong, as men and women of all valid ages were expected to go to polling stations with great enthusiasm.
The Australian high commissioner to Bangladesh met with BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, with Amir Khasru and organising secretary Shama Obaed also in attendance.
Replying to a question, Khasu said that the overall political situation in Bangladesh and the need for democratic transformation were discussed during the meeting.
Khasru said that Australia was already providing significant support to the Election Commission and intended to continue that assistance to help ensure a free and fair election.
He said that it was widely recognised that the people of Bangladesh, especially the younger generation around the age of 30, had not been able to exercise their voting rights in the past three or four elections, and that there was now great anticipation across the country, with people eagerly waiting to cast their votes.
No particular concerns were raised during the discussions while both voters and political parties in Bangladesh have historically been the strongest advocates for peace and stability when elections are held under a neutral and favourable environment, Khasru observd.
He added that the desire for a peaceful and credible election was deeply embedded in the country鈥檚 political culture and that there was no reason for concern over transparency and fairness of the electoral process.
Khasru said that, alongside political issues, the discussions also focused on future areas of cooperation between Bangladesh and Australia, highlighting education and agriculture as key sectors.
Immigration-related concerns, particularly those affecting Bangladeshi migrants in Australia, were also discussed, he said.
