Development will not last without democracy in Bangladesh, Khaleda tells EuroParl delegates

Bangladesh’s development will not sustain in the absence of democracy, Khaleda Zia has told a visiting delegation of the European Parliament.

The representatives of the European Union’s parliament met the BNP chief at her Gulshan office on Thursday.

“It was clearly stated that there cannot be any sustainable development in Bangladesh without democracy,” BNP Standing Committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan told reporters after the meeting.

As for the government’s role in strengthening ties with European countries, which have most stakes in development, he said, “That can only happen if there is a government here that is representative of the people.” 

Bangladesh at present had a “spurious” democracy, the BNP told the delegates.

“In the last few years many people have gone missing, many have fallen to police bullets, many languish in jail. Their only crime…they were members of the opposition party,” the party said.

“We gave them a clear picture of the lawlessness prevailing in the country,” Moyeen Khan said.

He claimed the EU delegation shared the BNP’s concern.

The party had restated its position that the 2014 parliamentary election, which it had boycotted, had been a ‘farce’ and only polls held under a ‘neutral’ regime could lead to the formation of a representative government.

The EU team was led by its Asia Affairs Chairperson Jean Lombart.

Khaleda was accompanied by senior BNP leaders Mirza Fakrul Islam Alamgir and Sabih Uddin Ahmed.

The EU delegation had earlier met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Speaker Shirin Sharmin Choudhury, and several other leaders.