EC informs foreign diplomats about election preparations

News Desk:  The Election Commission (EC) has informed foreign diplomats about the preparations for the 12th National Assembly elections to be held on January 7. However, Foreign Secretary Masood bin Momen does not know whether the diplomats are satisfied with the EC's information.

What is the reaction of the diplomats? When asked, he said, 'It is difficult to tell by looking at it.' The secretary said this after the EC meeting with diplomats at a hotel in the capital on Thursday (January 4) afternoon.

After the meeting, what is the opinion or reaction of diplomats and ambassadors abroad, are they convinced by your words or not? Whether they are individually satisfied or not is difficult to say. However, the Election Commission has been able to explain as much as possible. There is no lack of sincerity on their part. If the people come to vote on the 7th, then their efforts will be successful.

Regarding the meeting with the diplomats, the secretary said, 'You know that the event was organized by the Election Commission today. A briefing was organized for the heads of foreign embassies in Dhaka. Chief Election Commissioner and other commissioners and other officials were present here. Ambassadors of almost all countries were present in this meeting today. Here they are given a detailed briefing on the election.

Regarding the discussion of the meeting, he said, 'Chief Election Commissioner told them everything about the election preparations. Then he asked questions from among them. What I understood later was that I had a conversation with two ambassadors from western countries. I told them my point, elections are held after five years, such an opportunity is not given to the ambassadors of all countries. I was an ambassador myself but the opportunity did not come. Since they have got the opportunity, let them use this opportunity well.'

He said, two ambassadors of western countries told me that they are in contact with the Election Commission.

They also came to the Election Commission and asked various questions. A lot of updates from earlier so there are not so many questions here. A question may come why they did not ask more questions? It is good to say that they have held meetings with the EC several times. So they are very aware of them.

Regarding the foreign observers, Masud bin Momen said that 60 foreign observers have arrived in the country so far. A total of 127 observers are expected to arrive. Besides, 73 foreign journalists got accreditation.

17 of the foreign journalists arrived on Thursday. All will arrive by Friday. We have opened an office here, we can give you updates from there.

Momen said, they asked a question whether there is any pressure from the Election Commission, or how true the matter is? In response to this question, the Chief Election Commissioner said that there is no such pressure, there is no opportunity to pressure. However, there is a pressure on the voters not to vote on behalf of those who abstained from voting.

When asked whether the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has any subject on where the observers will go, the secretary said, "We cannot tell them that if they want to go where our airports are, they can go to those places, we will cooperate." We can only support wherever they go.

He said, "And if they want to observe the election in Dhaka, we can give them such a road plan that they can go to Dhaka in two hours or come in two hours." Meanwhile, if they say I will go to Narayanganj, I will go to Gazipur, I will go to Doha or I will go to Comilla, then we can tell them yes, you can go in two hours. Things are not finalized yet.

In response to the question of how many ambassadors or diplomats have come, Masood bin Momen said, "We have all invited, I cannot say the exact number, but representatives of more than fifty countries came to today's meeting."

 

Comments (0)