Editorial Desk :
The visiting six-member German parliamentary delegation has underscored the need for a fair election as well as a stable democratic environment in Bangladesh to attract more investments from Germany in the coming days. Leader of the delegation and president of the German parliamentary committee on South Asia Renate Kunast came up with the remarks while talking to reporters at a city hotel after wrapping up a four-day trip to Dhaka on Saturday evening.
Indeed, it is fundamental to hold fair polls from grassroots to national levels to ensure social peace and stability, said the German team leader, adding: her country’s buyers or brands want a good political environment and a good image to invest in Bangladesh. However, lauding the readymade garment industry here, she said there has been a considerable improvement in the work environment in the sector. But it is crucial to ensure the rights of workers to continue the improvement spree. They also laid emphasis on ensuring an environment for civil society to work actively and freely for the sake of democracy in the country.
According to media reports, the German parliamentary delegation during the Dhaka trip had courtesy calls on the speaker, ministers and high government officials. Earlier on Friday, the delegates exchanged views with the civil society leaders in the residence of German ambassador in Dhaka, Achim Troster. Reportedly, an extensive discussion took place there over the current situation in the country. The meeting, as per Ambassador Achim Troster’s twitter, was attended by Shujan Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar, Director (Bangladesh and South Asia) of Article-19 Faruk Faisal, among others. The civil society delegation said that they held open discussions and heard each other.
Meanwhile, diplomatic sources said freedom of expression and media, human rights, and labour rights ruled the agenda of the view exchange meeting. The parliamentarians reportedly expressed concern hearing the latest developments here from the civil society leaders. They particularly marked the issues of human rights violation by law enforcers and shrinking
space for civil society as well as freedom of press and expression as a matter of great concern.
The very system of democracy is not acceptable to the present government. So, it is important to spell out the structure of free election, it makes no sense to talk about free election. The very idea of democracy means nothing to the government. The present government is going toward absolute authoritarian of communism kind. Free election is necessary for democracy. Our fight for free election is fight for democracy.
