Urging the release of senior BNP leaders, German Ambassador in Dhaka Albrecht Conze on Thursday hoped both the major political parties will take responsible action to resolve the political crisis before the arrival of UN Assistant Secretary-General Oscar Fernandez-Taranco.
“I think it (Taranco’s visit) comes at the last moment, but maybe it comes at the right moment. So, we all hope that with responsible actions being taken by both sides before his (Taranco) arrival some major progress can be achieved. My government will continue to work for that,” he said hoping whole European Union will be working on that.
The forthcoming visit of UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Taranco is a very ‘encouraging event’, the German diplomat said while making a short statement after his meeting with Foreign Minister Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali at the latter’s office.
Conze also mentioned that he urged the Foreign Minister to take steps for the release of imprisoned senior opposition BNP leaders who have been in prison now for quite some time.
“I urged the Minister (Mahmud Ali) to do everything for the release of the senior BNP leaders who have been in prison now for quite a long time. Some of them are my friends, and I know very well they would not do anything of the sort…” he said.
The German envoy assured the Foreign Minister that all the European Union Ambassadors have been working intensely with both the sides (AL-BNP) over the past weeks and months to find a space for ‘substantial dialogue’ and ‘compromise.’
“…that means for us that we’re very clear on condemning any political violence that leads to young boys burning rickshaws, other people not arriving on time in hospitals and not being treated and having to die because of hartals or similar political actions…that is unacceptable way of doing election campaign.”
He said if both sides take steps and bring down political temperature then at the last moment, at the eleventh hour, they could find a room for compromise that would make it possible every party takes part in the election.
Ambassador Conze assured the Foreign Minister that the European Union like most of other trusted friends of Bangladesh, such as Canada, China, Australia and many Asian countries in this special period is totally impartial and keeps a strict equidistance from the two major parties. “That is I believe how a foreign country should act.”
He said the Foreign Minister is an old friend of Germany as he had been an Ambassador in Germany in 1990. “We have talked about not just long-standing relations but also current affairs.”
UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Oscar Fernandez-Taranco will arrive in the capital on December 6 on a five-day visit apparently to help the political parties to break the standoff.
On Monday, the Election Commission announced that the country’s 10th parliamentary elections will be held on January 5 next, prompting the main opposition BNP and its allies to enforce a countrywide road and railway blockade till 5 am on Friday.
Source: UNBConnect
