Govt working to establish democratic environment in country: LGRD adviser
He sought the international donors' cooperation for public health and infrastructure development and economic prosperity
The interim government is working to establish a democratic environment in the country so that public representatives, to be elected through free and fair polls, can run the state, Local Government, Rural Development (LGRD) and Cooperatives Adviser AF Hasan Arif said today (22 September).
"We are working as trustees of the students, the people and the workers . . . We are working to establish a democratic environment through which people's representatives can run the state being elected in a free and fair election," he said when a US delegation led by US Embassy's Charge d' Affaires Helen LaFave called on him at his Bangladesh Secretariat office.
At the meeting, the adviser hoped that the US support for the interim government would contribute to the democratic practices in Bangladesh.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
He sought the international donors' cooperation for public health and infrastructure development and economic prosperity.
During the meeting, there was a detailed discussion on the development of relations between Bangladesh and the USA, according to the release.
Referring to the ongoing unrest in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), Hasan Arif said, "I visited Rangamati yesterday (Saturday). I discussed with people there. Conspiracy is being hatched from outside to destroy harmony in CHT, including Rangamati."
Nobody knew where the attackers came from to carry out these attacks, he said, adding that a strong investigation committee has been formed to find out who is behind this.
In the meeting, the US Charge d' Affairs put emphasis on the importance of women empowerment and urban health programmes in Bangladesh.
Regarding this, the LGRD adviser said the women are working in the rural road construction under the local government engineering department, as cleaners in the municipalities and city corporations while the secretary of the Rural Development and Cooperatives Division is also a woman.
Local Government Division's Additional Secretary Md Nazrul Islam, Narayanganj City Corporation Administrator AHM Kamruzzaman and USAID Mission Director Reed J. Eschliman, among others were present during the meeting.
