By IANS
Dhaka : Japan, one of the biggest donors of Bangladesh, Monday asked the government here to restore democracy through “free and fair elections” as early as possible.
Head of Asia division of Japan’s foreign ministry, currently in Bangladesh to monitor political developments in the country made the remarks to reporters here, Star Online said.
“Japan and Bangladesh are very good friends and our bilateral relation is excellent,” said Chihiro Atsumi, director general for South East and South West Asia affairs of Japan foreign ministry.
He earlier held a meeting with Bangladesh Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury.
“We discussed current political situation and reforms by the caretaker government,” Atsumi told reporters.
The US, Britain, European Union and others have also emphasised on speedy restoration of democracy in Bangladesh. However, the present caretaker government has been saying that it would first undertake electoral and political reforms and hold the polls only in end-2008.
Atsumi said Chowdhury apprised him of current activities of the caretaker government, and he expressed the hope that democracy would be restored through free and fair elections, United News of Bangladesh (UNB) news agency said.