“The eyes of the world are on Bangladesh”, Canadian High Commissioner in Dhaka Heather Cruden said Sunday.
During a talk at the Diplomatic Correspondents Association of Bangladesh (DCAB), she said Bangladesh was faced with a ‘crisis of credibility’ due to its violent politics and the worst-ever factory building collapse in Savar.
She urged political parties to form ‘small negotiating groups’ earlier suggested by an UN delegation to resolve the political crisis and private businesses to work actively with the government to address safety concerns in industries.
“The message we have been sending to BNP is that you should participate and the message we have been sending to the government is that you need to find a mechanism that allows all parties to participate in a manner that gives people some level of confidence about the fairness of the elections”.
She said ultimately it would be up to the political parties and the people to decide the mechanism for holding credible elections.
“The message we are sending is that the election should be free, fair, transparent, inclusive and free of violence,” she said.
She, however, hoped that there would be resolution “under the current framework of constitution” to provide for free and fair elections.
The constitution could be amended, she said, but “we have to do things under the rule of law framework”.
On Saturday, Bangladesh held polls to four city corporations that were largely free of violence and manipulation.
The Opposition BNP supported candidates won in all the four, pointing to an anti-incumbency mood in the electorate but boosting the government’s claims that it was capable of holding free and fair polls without the ‘unelected caretaker’ that the Opposition demands.
Forty years of Canada-Bangladesh’s relationship is based on “shared values of democracy, good governance, human rights and pluralism and freedom of speech”, she said.
“Our relationship is extremely broad and includes development cooperation, commercial growth, cooperation in peacekeeping and support to democratic institutions,” the envoy said.
She said her country provided Canadian $4.3 billion assistance to Bangladesh in the last 40 years.
The bilateral trade more than doubled to US$ 1.6 billion last year from US $ 628million in 2006.
Bangladesh main export is ready-made garments, Canada’s processed agro-goods and infotech.
But she said readymade garments, Bangladesh’s main export that brought about robust economic growth “is being threatened by serious challenges”.
“Many of us are very concerned that the very impressive gains Bangladesh has made in social and economic development could be threatened by the recent Rana Plaza tragedy and the current political unrest,” she said.
The devastating building collapse that killed more than 1,100 people in Savar mostly garment workers resurrected the safety issues in Bangladesh’s industries that witness frequent fires.
All the countries receiving Bangladesh’s readymade garments expressed their concerns and pushed for corrective action.
“The political violence and factory safety are serious issues that need to be addressed by all parties involved”.
She said Canada remained concerned about the recent unrest and violence in Bangladesh including attacks on religious minorities.
“Engaging in peaceful protest is fundamental to democracy. However, we believe that violence has no place in the democratic process”.
She said her country looked forward for ‘peaceful’ political engagement amongst the government and “the opposition party who we ask to publicly reject the use of political violence”.
She asked the private sector to work with the government to address workplace safety issues so that international buyers have the confidence to continue investments.
At the same time, she said, an amendment to the labour law would be an ‘important step’.
She said their buyers were getting nervous “because of strikes’.
“They are nervous because goods cannot reach in time and after the Rana plaza they are also nervous. The tragedy has been up on front pages of the Canadian newspapers”.
Replying a question about the radical Islamist force Hifazat’s movement, she said Bangladesh had been built on principles of ‘secularism’.
She suggested Bangladesh continues ‘to highlight and maintain’ that principle.
But she left it on the Bangladesh’s people about who they would elect. “You chose to build your country,” she said.
She said for them, the next election would be a test case about exercising ” their fundamental democratic right to choose who will govern them and represent them on the world stage”.
“This is an important decision and we hope everyone participates”.
She saw the upcoming national election as ‘ an opportunity to take Bangladesh on the road to sustainable democracy”.
She, however, said election was the one part of the democracy. ” It is also important to continue to work for a fully democratic society –a functional parliament, vibrant civil society, freedom of speech and independent functioning of institutions”.
She also stressed on Corporate Social Responsibility in businesses to address critical issues.
“CSR improves the lives and safety of workers, their families and their communities,” she said highlighting a book that her High Commission had published last week both in Bangla and English for free distribution.
Source: Bd news24
