Nobody can, or should, question the fact that you are keenly aware of this stark fact. You have been given the august and very sacrosanct responsibility of leading our nation to a fair and free national election, within a stipulated period of time, for the future governance of the country.

We now long for a truly democratic government, and a political culture that will facilitate the move towards the path of justice, peace and progress for the people of Bangladesh. Whether your assumption of this most dignified position is not welcomed or felicitated by all the people matters less than the fact that all people of goodwill, conscience and true patriotism look towards you with genuine hopes and aspirations that you will sincerely strive to ensure that the needed impartiality and fairness is maintained all through your governmental system, administration and infrastructure during the entire tenure of these offices of yours, in all its agenda and activities, so that you and your colleagues will be able to present the country and its people with a better future.

In addition to the office of the President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh (and by virtue of which fact the supreme command of all the armed forces of this country is vested in you) you have taken the oath of office of the Chief Adviser of the Caretaker Government, or the interim government, which is responsible for creating an environment conducive to the holding of the next general election in a through-and-through transparent manner, and in a peaceful and fair way.

Like millions of other people in this country, you are also known to be a man with love, devotion and fear of Almighty Allah. People most earnestly believe and trust that you will be led only by His holy love for the people of this country, and not by any human being, nor by any political party or group with vested interest.

Most Honourable Sir, my firm conviction is that as the supreme leader, and the father-figure of the people, at this crucially important time of transition you have been duly challenged by the people to lead your governmental machinery to facilitate the growth of a truly democratic process for a positive future for the teeming millions of our people.

We pray that the Almighty One will grant you His wisdom and strength for this so that only under Him will you be guided by the constitution of the country, and the very spirit that lay behind the articulation of the same after the liberation of Bangladesh, which was won a generation ago, while the hopes and aspirations of that liberation still remain as a mirage for too many till today.

As you yourself know that the image of our nation, and our people as a whole, has been awfully marred because of the very intolerant attitude to others, particularly in the political and ideological arena, created by our political leaders. We need to do our best to create a culture of mutual respect, tolerance and consideration for others. and a culture of respect for human life and of true patriotism.

Dear Mr Chief Adviser, the most dignified, unique and dual position that you are now holding for the first time in our history will help you to lead your government in a way that will really usher in an opportunity to create an image that will show that we, the people of this country, love human values of freedom, justice and sustainable peace, and that we reject all that which negate these values.

People of our country, in general, are very intelligent and politically conscious. They only need good, honest and accountable leaders, who will be able to create an atmosphere for them where they can feel freedom to have ennobling vision. Your magnanimous role at this juncture demands that you will be fair and neutral, and that the people will have reason to love and respect you now, and in the days to come. May the Almighty bless you to fulfill this, your holy calling for the nation.

Rev. Martin Adhikary is a Church and social leader and also a teacher of Christian theology.