Next general elections will be free and fair: Home minister tells EU delegation

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal has assured the visiting European Union (EU) delegation that the upcoming general election would be free, fair and without violence.

"The election will be held as per the country's constitution in a free, fair," he said while briefing journalists at his secretariat office after an hour-long meeting with the EU delegation led by EU's Special Ambassador on Human Rights Eamon Gilmore. 

Among others, Secretary to Security Service Division of the Home Ministry Abdullah Al Masud Chowdhury, Additional Secretary Political Khairul Islam and Additional Secretary-Police Md Ali Hossain were present during the meeting.

Terming the meeting with the EU delegation as cordial and friendly, the minister said that they mainly wanted to know about the Rohingya crisis and preparations for holding the next general election.

The Election Commission (EC) will work independently during the three months time of the government and the then constitutional government will extend their all out support to the EC, he said.

Replying to a query from a journalist regarding the capability of law enforcing agencies for holding a free and fair election, the minister said the law enforcing agencies are very much capable and ready to help the EC to conduct a violence free and fair election in the country.

Replying to a question, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said 27 people out of 76 missing people were traced and most of them went into hiding due to various reasons. We would be able to trace out the rest of the missing people, he said.