April 03, 2007	Tuesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 14, 1428

DHAKA, April 2: Bangladesh Army Lt-Gen Moeen U Ahmed on Monday said the country must build its own democratic system with new leadership at all levels. “Bangladesh will have to construct its own brand of democracy, giving due recognition to its social, historical and cultural conditions with religion being one of several components of its national identity,” said Moeen U Ahmed while delivering his keynote speech at a regional conference, ‘The Challenging Interface of Democracy and Security’, organised by the International Political Science Association.

“I believe…the aspiring democratic process…and the current transition period allow us an opportunity to develop a new concept and find a new sense of direction for future politics…And this needs rethinking so that we can re-invent a system of governance with new leadership at all levels,” Moeen said.

He explained: “We have tried both the presidential and parliamentary forms of government. Now we should try to set up a balanced system giving more power to the president, ministers and other agencies to enable them carry out their tasks.”

“Power must be balanced, and not tilted towards any family and dynasty,” he said. “We must identify and examine the pitfalls of our political democracy…The idea underlying the development of politics, and democracy must take into account the needs of a particular country,” said Moeen.