Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)- Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ranked as one of the most popular heads of government among 21 Asian countries in a survey of US based public opinion research organization Gallup.Com.
Gallup.Com provides data-driven news and conducts polls on politics based on public opinions.
In the survey conducted over 1,000 populations through personal interviews and telephonic conversations in 2011, Bangladesh Premier ranked seventh among 21 Asian leaders in terms of performance in office.
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari's approval rate by his electorates dropped to the lowest level among the Asian leaders while Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa along with the heads of government of Laos and Cambodia.
According to the survey available on the website, about 77 percent of the Bangladeshis approved Hasina's job performance while 19 percent disapproved and 4.0 percent didn't answer.
India's Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who ranked eleventh with an apparent decaying popular support, enjoying 59 percent people support against 31 percent disapproving his performance in office.
Apart from Sheikh Hasina, other six best performing leaders are Laotian President Choummali Saignason, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Philippine President Benigno Aquino III and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.
The survey has synchronized performance of the countries as follows: Laos, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, New Zealand, Vietnam, India, Taiwan, Thailand, Australia, Japan, Mongolia, South Korea, Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Nepal and Pakistan.
The Gallup findings suggested that the leaders who ranked bottom and failed to earn majority of their constituents' confidence need to address the economic, social and political concerns of their populations.
“In contrast, political discord, internal strife, and geo-political complexities likely affected approval ratings for leaders in Hong Kong, Nepal, and Pakistan,” the survey said.
The survey also said Pakistanis have never placed much confidence in President Asif Ali Zardari's leadership; throughout his tenure, the country has grappled with terrorism, challenging relations with the U.S., and a struggling economy.
Donald Tsang of Hong Kong leaves office in July amid concerns about China's increasingly active role in the former British protectorate and controversies over gifts, travel, and lodging received from business leaders.
“More leaders in Asia lost support than gained it between 2011 and 2010. Thailand's former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva saw the steepest decline in approval of all Asian countries, likely reflecting the atmosphere that led to the loss of his Democrat Party in July 2011 parliamentary elections. Vietnam's Nguyen Tan Dung has also seen his approval sag following his defeat in party elections for the ruling Communist Party's Politburo,” it noted.
BBN/SSR/AD-13May12-1:20 am (BST)
