Democracy should be restored here as soon as possible, he said, but some effective measures for reforms should be taken before the election.

Time is not so important, but the long-felt and the basic reforms are a must, he added.

The British official made the comment while talking to The Daily Star yesterday afternoon at the regional liaison office in Sylhet after separate meetings with Sylhet City Corporation Mayor Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran, Divisional Commissioner Aziz Hasan and officials of the Sylhet Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Head of Chancery in the British High Commission in Dhaka Duncan Norman accompanied him during the meetings.

Laxton came to Sylhet yesterday as part of his five-day visit to Bangladesh. He arrived in the country on Tuesday.

He said the caretaker government has got a great chance to address some issues, which the previous government failed to accomplish, and bring some fundamental changes to different sectors.

The international community is also expecting early process for credible election in the country, Laxton said, adding that but drive against corruption is a must before the election.

The ongoing British assistance for the development of Bangladesh will not be hampered in the near future, the official said.

Referring to his meeting with people in the last two days, he said, "I think it is possible to organise an acceptable election within a year or one and a half years."