BANGLADESH NEWS
Expressing concern over killings and human rights situation in Bangladesh, visiting German foreign minister yesterday urged all political actors to work together to strengthen democracy, ensure human rights and uphold the rule of law in the country.
"Like all others, we are concerned about the recent killings of activists [political and garments]. We hope the incidents would be investigated and the people responsible would be brought to justice," German Federal Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle told a press conference after meeting Foreign Minister Dipu Moni at the state guest house Meghna.
He arrived in Dhaka at 12:35pm yesterday on a two-day official visit.
Expressing satisfaction with the role of the civil society in Bangladesh, he said the civil society is crucial to institutionalising democracy in any country.
Asked about the ongoing political crisis here, he noted, “It is not my work to give any lesson…. I am here with a big high-level business delegation as we are eager to expand our trade relations.”
He emphasised the importance of holding free and fair polls, ensuring freedom of expression and free press to strengthen democracy.
The German minister added that his country has been a partner of Bangladesh for 40 years and has so far provided two billion euros in development assistance.
Besides, it has granted a soft loan of 60 million euros for power transmission to the country's western zone.
Germany is the biggest trade partner of Bangladesh in Europe, and Bangladesh's export to Germany stands at three billion euros a year, he mentioned.
Both the foreign ministers expressed their satisfaction at the bilateral relations between the two countries.
Westerwelle yesterday called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, met representatives of civil society and joined a meeting of Bangladesh-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
He also had meetings with Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh, and NGO Federation Chairman M Ibrahim in the city's Westin hotel.
Meeting sources said they discussed the present political situation in Bangladesh, governance and the role of civil society, NGO and media.
The German minister is due to leave Dhaka early today.
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