President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday said free, fair and impartial elections, along with adequate political space for the opposition and rivals, are essential for an effective democracy.
“Democracy is a culture that develops step by step through regular practice. Free, fair and impartial elections are essential for this,” he said, reports UNB.
The President made the remarks when a delegation led by Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor ABM Obaidul Islam paid a courtesy call on him at Bangabhaban.
President’s Press Secretary Md Sarwar Alam briefed reporters after the meeting.
Mirza Fakhrul said democracy could not function effectively without sufficient space for opposition parties and political rivals.
“That is the beauty of democracy. Democracy must be allowed to function effectively in its own course,” he said.
Referring to Dhaka University, the President said the country’s premier university was not only a leading centre of education but also a focal point of Bangladesh’s politics, history, heritage and culture.
He called for further improvements in the quality of education at the university and efforts to raise it to the standard of the world’s leading universities.
During the meeting, Obaidul Islam congratulated Mirza Fakhrul on his election as President and briefed him on the university’s overall academic activities.
The vice-chancellor also invited the President, in his capacity as Chancellor of Dhaka University, to attend the university’s upcoming 54th convocation.
The President accepted the invitation and assured the delegation that he would attend the convocation.
The President’s military secretary, secretary and press secretary, as well as Dhaka University’s pro-vice-chancellor and treasurer, were present at the meeting.
