NDI Pre-Election Delegation Arrives In Bangladesh
Siddique Islam - All Headline News Foreign Correspondent Dhaka, Bangladesh (AHN) - A delegation of the National Democratic Institute (NDI) arrived in Dhaka on Wednesday to assess preparations and observe the electoral environment leading up to the parliamentary elections expected for January 2007. The delegation comprises former Majority and Minority Leader of the US Senate Tom Daschle, former Prime Minister of New Zealand and former Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Mike Moore, former Minister of Women's and Veteran's Affairs on Cambodia Mu Sochua, NDI's Asia Deputy Director Thomas Barry, NDI's Bangladesh Resident Director Owen Lippert and NDI Bangladesh's Senior Program Manager Deborah Healy. "The purposes of the delegation are to demonstrate the interest and support of the international community for a peaceful and democratic election process in Bangladesh, provide an impartial report on the environment surrounding the upcoming elections and the state of electoral preparations," the NDI says in a press statement. The delegation is expected to meet the Election Commission, leaders of the political parties, representatives of the domestic monitoring groups and other civic organizations, journalists, academics and members of the diplomatic community. NDI is an independent and non-governmental organization of the United States, which conducted more than 100 non-partisan pre-election, election-day and |
