The European Union ambassador in Dhaka has called for an end to the ongoing violence in which he said “innocent victims are targeted in the most barbaric manner”.
“We cannot accept the unacceptable: these vile acts of violence must stop,” Pierre Mayaudon said after a visit to the burn institute, adjacent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, on Tuesday morning.
He visited the centre to learn first-hand on how the already overcrowded hospital grapples with a spate of burn victims rushed in during the blockade.
The Ambassador also looked into the possibilities of the EU’s assistance for the unit.
He said this visit gave him and his colleagues “the crude vision of a terrifying reality”.
He admired the medical team who were providing services and conveyed his sympathy and solidarity to all the victims, with “special thoughts for the very young ones”.
“The EU stands by the side of the victims, worldwide,” he said.
“We intervene through ECHO, our Humanitarian Directorate, mostly for natural disaster relief but also in case of man-made disasters.
“This is obviously the case here: innocent victims are targeted in the most barbaric manner,” he said.
ECHO has an EU-funded partnership with the international NGO Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
He was also glad to see “a very committed team” of MSF conducting psychological support programmes at DMCH burn unit.
The EU’s more than 40-year old engagement with Bangladesh was based on the foundations of democracy and human rights.
It is the largest export market for Bangladesh where all products enjoy duty-free market access.
The EU, earlier, in a statement expressed concern over the violence and disruption following the blockades, which resulted in many deaths and much destruction of properties.
The 28-countries bloc also stated that refraining from violence and engaging in genuine dialogue between all stakeholders would open “the way forward to strengthen democracy”.
BNP and its allies launched an indefinite transport blockade on Jan 5 to force the government to a snap poll .
Source: Bd news24