Denmark wants free, fair polls in Bangladesh

The envoy was quoted to have said Denmark wants a free and fair election to take place here in time with the participation of all political parties.

During the hour-long meeting, bilateral relations, the forthcoming election, proposed electoral reforms, combating corruption, establishing good governance and flourishing country's democracy came up for discussion.

At the meeting with the Danish envoy, Hasina, also Awami League president, underscored the need for effective functioning of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to combat pervasive corruption.

"The national growth will be enhanced and poverty reduced if corruption warded off," her political secretary Saber Hossain Chowdhury quoted Hasina as telling Munk.

The envoy, who has been here for nearly five years, expressed similar views with the opposition leader, Saber said.

He said Awami League also wants a free and fair election with a level playing field. "That's why there is no alternative to reform of caretaker government system and the Election Commission," he said.

Hasina praised the Danish government for establishing DNA-test lab in Bangladesh and for direct assistance in the country's agriculture sector.