UK to keep an eye on Bangladesh elections run-up

British Minister for Asia and the Pacific Alok Sharma has said that the UK will keep an eye on Bangladesh’s political developments in the run up to the 2019 general elections.

Nurul Islam Hasibbdnews24.com
Published : 5 March 2017, 01:48 PM
Updated : 5 March 2017, 04:36 PM

“We, of course, observe and see what happens between now and the elections 2019,” he said talking to two journalists including bdnews24.com, before leaving Dhaka on Saturday night.

He said during his meetings with political parties he “stressed the need for participation all sides in the elections to advance the democratic values”.

For the UK, he said, it was “important” that the elections are “free and fair and they embed in democratic values”.

“And clearly at the end of the day the best way to make it sure that you have healthy democracy is full participation of all parties in elections -- that’s a message I delivered consistently on my visit,” he said.

This was his first visit after being appointed the minister in 2016. He was elected to the UK Parliament in 2010, and before that he worked for 20 years in the international financial services sector.

He met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and held discussions with the Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali.

Alok Sharma also met BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia

He also had meetings with opposition leader in Parliament Raushon Ershad and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

“I had a very useful first visit in Bangladesh,” he said.

“The overall message that I received from the people I talked to that the relationship between UK and Bangladesh continues to be strong. Both of us from the UK side and Bangladesh side wanted it to become even stronger”.

“There are opportunities for increasing bilateral trade and investment. And the overall I think is a very positive visit,” he said as he spoke on the main issues between the countries including post-Brexit scenario and security issues.

The question of free and fair elections came as the Western countries including the UK did not find the most recent general election credible as the main opposition BNP boycotted the polling, leaving more than half of the seats returned uncontested.

“Our message is entirely consistent whether that is in Bangladesh and whether anywhere else we want democratic values to flourish. We think democratic values strengthen a nation. We believe it provides better support for investors,” he said.

“We want to see a free and fair election that’s a message that I would be giving many of the countries that I visit which have impending elections. That’s a consistent message we are delivering”.

The UK is one the largest development partners of Bangladesh. It also has substantial business interests in Bangladesh and remains the second biggest foreign investor.

Over 240 British companies are operating in sectors including retail, banking, energy, infrastructure, consultancy and education with leading centres of operation in Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet.

About half a million Bangladeshi expatriates live in the UK.

Both sides agreed to hold strategic dialogue at the end of this month during Sharma’s meeting with the foreign minister.

The dialogue would be held between the Bangladesh foreign secretary and his British counterpart Permanent Undersecretary of UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Explaining the dialogue, the British minister said this means “enhancement of the formal relationship between our two countries”.

“There will be detail discussions regarding cooperation in three key areas – one is prosperity which includes economic exchanges, second is security issues where we can work more closely together, and the third is shared values of democracy and respect for human rights”.

“So, this is going to be a very comprehensive discussion. This is what will take the detailed work forward regarding enhanced relationship,” he said.

“We, of course, have a multi-dimensional relationship with Bangladesh that reflects all the areas that will be discussed in the strategic dialogue”.

Speaking on security cooperation with Bangladesh, he said when it comes to terrorism “this is a threat we all face whether in the UK and Europe and Bangladesh”.

“As far as we are concerned, we support the PM Hasina’s stated objective of zero tolerance on terrorism. Obviously, we need to make sure that we do it in the right way. I think there is an opportunity for us to cooperate on issues relating to counter-terrorism. This is what I think will also form the basis of the discussion we will have in the strategic dialogue.”

The UK is also the third single largest destination for Bangladesh’s exports where all products enjoy duty-free market access following the EU’s everything but arms regime.

As the UK started talks to leave the European bloc following the Brexit referendum, Sharma said they would first negotiate their deal with the EU and then would start “formal negotiation” with any other country regarding trade agreement.

The UK in March last year suspended the direct cargo flights from Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on security grounds. After the suspension, Bangladesh has hired a British company to improve the security mechanism.

Sharma acknowledged that some progress had been made since then. “We have agreed in our discussions that we need to have a review process where the UK and Bangladeshi side would sit down together and look at what more need to be done,” he said when asked when the ban would be lifted.

“I am hoping very much that that review process can take place in the near-term”.