The former prime minister also urged the journalists of both print and electronic media to exercise objective journalism projecting the true picture of the country.

The BNP chairperson made her request while exchanging views with a group of journalist leaders at her Hawa Bhaban office at Banani in the evening.

Briefing newsmen about the outcome of the meeting, BNP Vice-Chairman and former information minister M Shamsul Islam said the former prime minister stressed the need for holding a free and fair general election in time according to the constitution.

"Ahead of the election, the constitutional process will have to be kept functional," the BNP chairperson was quoted as saying.

Khaleda also said the "the constitutional institutions will have to be protected at any cost".

The journalist leaders sought all-out cooperation from the former prime minister for the well-being of journalists, particularly in implementation of the Sixth Wage Board Award.

The meeting was attended, among others, by BFUJ President Mozammel Haq and Secretary General Ruhul Amin Gazi, Jatiya Press Club President Reazuddin Ahmed and General Secretary Shaukat Mahmud, DUJ President Elahi Newaz Khan and General Secretary Sarder Farid Ahmad, former BFUJ president Gias Kamal Chowdhury, former president of Jatiya Press Club Khandokar Manirul Alam, MA Aziz, Abdus Shahid, Abbas Uddin Ansari, Nurul Amin Rokon, M Abdullah, Mostafa Kamal Mozumder, Syed Shahjahan, Abdur Rahman Khan, Khurshid Alam and Belayet Hossain.

BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and former deputy information minister Abdus Salam Pintu were also present at the meeting.