Staff Reporter:
Leader of the opposition in parliament and Jatiya Party chief patron Begum Rowshan Ershad yes-terday sought President Mohammed Shahabuddin’s all-out cooperation to hold the 12th Jatiya Sangsad polls in a free, fair, neutral and peaceful manner.
She made the appeal when a delegation of Jatiya Party, led by her, made a courtesy call on the President at Bangabhaban here this afternoon.
“Jatiya Party is ready to take part in the upcoming 12th national polls,” President’s press secretary Joynal Abedin quoted Begum Ershad as saying in the meeting.
She said, “The Jatiya Party is an election-oriented party . . . We have already prepared to contest in the elections.”
Welcoming the election schedule announced by the Election Commission, Rowshan Ershad added that the Jatiya Party always showed due respect to the country’s Constitution.
She, meanwhile, gave a proposal to the President to extend the time of existing election schedule saying that some political parties need more time to take preparation for the elections.
“November 30 is the last day for submitting nomination forms . . . On the other hand, the last day for filing income tax returns,” Rowshan added.
During the meeting, President Mohammed Shahabuddin said holding elections within the stipulat-ed time is a must to keep the constitution intact.
The government will provide all necessary cooperation to the election commission to make the next Jatiya Sangsad polls in a free, fair, and peaceful manner, the President added.
Mohammed Shahabuddin said the democracy must also be upheld to continue the ongoing devel-opment trend.
Secretaries concerned to the President’s office were present during the meeting.
