Acting Ambassador of the European Union to Bangladesh Bernd Spanier on Monday (19 August) met BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and discussed various issues related to Bangladesh’s economic development and democratic transition.
During the hour-long meeting, which started around 10:30 am at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office, Spanier assured the EU’s support in recovering the large sums of money siphoned off abroad during the tenure of the deposed autocratic ruler Sheikh Hasina.
BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and Organising Secretary Shama Obaed attended the meeting.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Khosru said they discussed the overall situation in Bangladesh in the wake of the political changeover triggered by the student-led mass movement.
“We assessed the future trajectory of Bangladesh’s democracy, politics, and economy,” he said.
The BNP leader said they also explored ways in which the European Union could support and collaborate with Bangladesh to help the country recover from its current challenges.
Besides, Khosru said the economic situation of the country and how good governance can be ensured were discussed. “We also discussed remedies for the way all the institutions of Bangladesh have been destroyed. We talked about how the EU can help us bring these institutions back on track.
The BNP leader mentioned that their party sought cooperation from the EU to continue exporting a significant portion of Bangladeshi products to European countries.
He said they requested suggestions from the EU on implementing reforms in the financial sector to help the country’s economy turn around.
When asked if there was a discussion about elections, he said, “There is no chance for the restoration of democracy without elections. Naturally, this matter was discussed.”
In response to another question, Khosru said a substantial amount of money had been siphoned off from Bangladesh and they discussed efforts to bring this money back. “We suggested that everyone should work together on this issue. The European Union is willing to cooperate.”
