Iajuddin has failed to lead neutrally: Butenis

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Dhaka, Dec 17 (bdnews24.com) – US Ambassador Patricia Butenis Sunday said President Iajuddin Ahmed-led interim authority has failed to act neutrally, making the nation suffer.

"Unfortunately, the caretaker government has not always conducted itself neutrally, and the nation has suffered as a result. We hope that is behind us now," she told a seminar as a keynote speaker on Bangladesh's democracy.

"The essence of caretaker government is impartiality. Either it is the army, the state-run media or the police, the credibility of the caretaker government depends on its acting in a visibly neutral and effective manner."

To a question on the interim government, the envoy said, "The chief adviser is supposed to run a neutral, non-party government and he most successfully did that when he began to listen to his council of advisers."

She said President Iajuddin Ahmed must lead the advisers as a team through the elections.

Butenis said the dispute over the activities of the interim government surfaced with Iajuddin holding the positions of president and chief adviser.

"We have this unusual situation where the president and the chief adviser are the same person. So it makes it (situation) difficult," she said.

"The chief adviser must continue to listen to them (advisers) and lead them as a team and that's a way forward."

On the role of political parties ahead of election, Butenis said, "It is doubly important that political parties stop trying to manipulate the caretaker government and caretaker government actively resist such interference, whether the pressure comes from the streets or from behind the scenes."

In her keynote speech titled Elections: The Road Ahead, she said, "Any extra-constitutional arrangement imposed on the people of Bangladesh, such as military intervention, would not address the basic weaknesses afflicting the current political process."

"(It) would likely lead to great turmoil and disappointment, and should be stoutly resisted by all defenders of democracy." The US envoy also came down hard on hartal and blockade.

"The US government has long opposed hartals—by any party—as outdated, confrontational, and undemocratic. The era of colonial struggle has passed. "We also oppose nationwide transportation blockades, which hurt the economy and deprive millions of ordinary people of a fundamental human right, the right to free movement.

"It is a positive development that the blockades, and even the threat of blockades, have subsided. We again urge all parties to pursue their political objectives through democratic practices, not on the streets."

Replying to a question on greater participation in the next election, she said, "The problem is that not all party will participate until they feel they have a fair chance."

On appointment of controversial people to the Election Commission with direct links with BNP's politics and commissioner Mudabbir Hossain Chowdhury's probable leave, Butenis said: "I don't have sufficient insight into that to answer the question."

"If you appoint people who are not acceptable that's not going to be seen as neutral," she said.

"I think they were actively seeking candidates for the Election Commission or positions that will be acceptable to both parties because that's the whole point," she said.

The Bangladesh Association of American Studies (BAAS) organised the seminar "Democracy and Bangladesh" in association with the American Centre in the CIRDAP auditorium. BAAS President AKM Nurun Nabi presided the seminar.

Source bdnews24
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