Bangladesh News

The government will consider relaxing the emergency rules further, if necessary, for candidates to conduct campaign in the upcoming local elections, Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed said yesterday.

He made the comment while talking to new British High Commissioner in Dhaka Stephen Evans who put in a courtesy call at the CA’s office.

The United Kingdom will send election observers for the August 4 city corporation and municipality elections, Evans told the chief adviser.

He said they have already received an invitation from the Election Commission and would send, along with the European Union, election observers.

Fakhruddin said emergency power rules have already been relaxed allowing candidates to campaign in the elections to four city corporations and nine municipalities.

The government is reviewing the matter further and would take steps accordingly, he said.

The British envoy appreciated the caretaker government’s reform activities as well as completion of the photograph-attached voter list.

The chief adviser said reforms have been made to give democracy a strong foundation.

On global warming, the British high commissioner said the UK would provide 50 million pounds to Bangladesh to address the adverse effects of climate change.

Maintaining that Bangladesh is the worst sufferer of climate change, Fakhruddin said the country can handle any natural disasters for the short term, but that it needs international assistance for mid- and long-term measures, especially when it comes to infrastructures and strong, permanent embankments.

He recalled his meeting with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown at a conference on climate change in London.

He said relation between Bangladesh and the UK is multifaceted and the two countries can work closely on economy, trade and counter-terrorism.

Bangladesh stands firmly against terrorism, he said, mentioning that the country has not seen a single bomb blast or a single bullet being fired in the last one and a half years.

The chief adviser said Bangladesh wants access to the UK market for its products. The UK is the biggest bilateral donor of Bangladesh, after Japan.

Evans said the two-way flow of trade between the two countries continues to be good. Bangladeshi community in the UK is contributing economically, culturally and politically.

Compared to other developing countries, he said Bangladesh is doing better on economic and social issues and its economic growth is impressive.

He said bilateral relations between Bangladesh and the UK continue to change for the better.

When informed that a British minister is likely to visit Bangladesh soon, the chief adviser said such high-level visits are an indication of good relations between the two countries.

He said Bangladesh is steadily doing well in economic growth. Despite various problems, the country met the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in gender parity in primary and secondary education and in women empowerment.

Fakhruddin hoped that Bangladesh would be a mid-income country in next 15 years.

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Syed Fahim Munaim briefed reporters following the meeting.