Bangladesh (Commonwealth Union)_ Bangladesh’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, has announced that observers from the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) will be welcomed in the upcoming general election. The announcement was made during a farewell call from the outgoing UK High Commissioner in Dhaka, Robert Chatterton Dickson, at the Prime Minister’s official residence. She said, “We will welcome observers from the European Union and the United Kingdom in the next general election”. While addressing the media, the Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim noted that some local election observers may have their own agendas, but the established voting rights of people in Bangladesh would be protected.
According to the Prime Minister, continuous democracy has contributed to a decrease in extreme poverty rates to 5.6 percent and poverty rates to 18.7 percent in Bangladesh. The meeting between the Prime Minister and the UK envoy also discussed bilateral relations between the UK and Bangladesh. The UK envoy expressed interest in enhancing economic partnerships and cooperation in the aviation sector with Bangladesh. The two countries also discussed working together to battle climate change, in accordance with the agreement signed in March last year.
Regarding the Rohingya issue, the Prime Minister has requested international cooperation to facilitate the sustainable repatriation of the Rohingya people. She pointed out that the number of Rohingyas has increased significantly due to the addition of 40,000 newborns each year, creating a significant burden for Bangladesh. Sheikh Hasina also emphasized that Rohingyas are natives of Myanmar and must return to their country. The UK envoy expressed his country’s support for Bangladesh on this issue.
Further, the Prime Minister also called for an immediate end to the Russia-Ukraine war, stating that the whole world is suffering from the impacts of the war. She emphasized that Bangladesh is always against any war and suggested that Russia and Ukraine can find a solution through bilateral talks. The meeting was also attended by PMO Secretary Mohammad Salahuddin.
