Don't waver over women's policy, UP leaders urge govt

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Monday, 21 April 2008

Staff Correspondent
Bangladesh Union Parishad Oikya Jote have urged the government not to falter over the proposed women's development policy.

The organisation of local government leaders met with four advisers to the caretaker government Sunday for a pre-dialogue talk at state guesthouse Meghna.

After the meeting, local government adviser Anwarul Iqbal told reporters the union parishad leaders had made a number of proposals. Main among them were to hold local government polls before the national election and appointment of zila parishad chairman by direct vote.

Quoting the leaders, Anwarul said they had assured the government it need "not go on the back foot" regarding the proposed women's development policy.

The UP leaders said they would build up public opinion from the local level to support the women's policy, the adviser said.

In answer to questions by reporters, Anwarul replied the government would soon sit in dialogue with a cross-section of political representatives, including leftist parties and Islamist parties, as well as civil society members.

Union Parishad Oikya Jote president Mahbubur Rahman Tulu, who led the eight-member delegation, told reporters: "The upazila elections should be held before the Jatiya Sangsad election."

"Honest, efficient and good people will be elected if the local government election is held first; there will be no political intervention," Tulu said.

He also said the UP delegation had demanded provision be made for a 'no' vote in local government polls. Defending their demand, he said it was to often seen that a candidate was not fit, in which case the 'no' vote can be exercised.

Communications adviser Ghulam Quader, law and parliamentary affairs adviser AF Hassan Ariff and commerce adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman were present in the meeting.

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