The European Union will be closely observing the elections in Bangladesh, EU Ambassador to Bangladesh, Charles Whitley, said today.
“After the voting day, voters should be able to say that their votes are counted,” he said at DCAB Talk at InterContinental Dhaka today.
He said human rights and democracy are essential elements of EU policy.
Charles Whitley said EU would closely watch elections as international actors but it is the main responsibility of the people of Bangladesh to make sure how they want to see governance in their country.
In his first formal media interaction with the media, he spoke elaborately on Rohingya crisis, upcoming GSP Plus scheme and future EU-Bangladesh relationship.
Whitley said Bangladesh today has accomplished significant developments and has become an important partner in South Asia.
EU-Bangladesh relationship would be deepening in the coming days in terms of trade, politics, development, and even security and defence.
About the upcoming GSP Plus facility that the EU will be offering Bangladesh, the diplomat said Bangladesh is already working on it but it will have to meet a number of conditions.
Bangladesh needs to ratify 32 UN conventions and the country is good in ratifying, but how those are implemented matters.
“It will not be a picnic, for sure,” Whitley said.
Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) President Pantho Rahman and General Secretary AKM Moinuddin also spoke at the event.
