DHAKA: Visiting UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Oscar Fernández Taranco on Saturday asked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to defer the election schedule for ensuring participation of all the party.

In response to Taranco Sheikh Hasina told that deferring the election schedule is the jurisdiction of the Election Commission (EC).

Taranco came up with the plea at a meeting with the premier at Ganobhaban.

After the meeting, International Affairs Adviser to the premier Gowher Rizvi briefed reporters after the meeting.

The hour-long parley between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Oscar Fernández Taranco started at 4:50pm.

The UN envoy met Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque at 10:00am and Foreign Minister AH Mahmud Ali at 10:30am at the ministry.

BDST: 1955 HRS, DEC 07, 2013