PV Desk
Acknowledging the broader support and popularity of the interim government, Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Bangladesh Michael Miller has said there has to be democratic elections at the end of the process, leading to a new parliament and a government with people’s mandate staying mindful of the “rule of law and respect” for fundamental rights.
“For us, these are principles that are at the core of the relationship between the European Union and Bangladesh,” the Head of the EU Delegation told UNB in his first interview after his arrival in Dhaka, noting that the ambition is “sky high” while the changes are always “difficult”.
The Bangladesh-EU partnership is seen as fast-evolving and dynamic; and last year, two sides celebrated 50 years of relations.
Ambassador Miller said the popularity of the Chief Adviser and interim government is very clear and the sense of common support across party lines is really very strong.
He said it is a difficult moment and perhaps not everything – not all reforms – can happen all at once but there has to be delivery of some “quick wins”.
Ambassador Miller said the government has to demonstrate that it is able to take forward reforms. “The ambition is sky high. The pressure from the street is extremely strong and somewhere here there has to be delivery of some quick wins which can still be structural in nature.”
“There has to be a process leading to elections. We think it’s very important to get that process right and to give this interim government some time to demonstrate that it can reform,” he added.
The implementation is the most tricky, Miller said, adding that his message to the advisers is that they are not short of resources.
“We’re certainly not short of political will. Please tell us what your priorities are, and then let us work very closely with you. We can do a lot,” he said.
As a newcomer arriving at a moment of unprecedented change, Ambassador Miller now looks forward to supporting the country’s transition and reform ambitions, underpinned by values dear to them both: good governance, democracy and respect for fundamental rights.
Good Governance Across Board
The first round of negotiations on the new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) between Bangladesh and the European Union (EU) had been postponed in August.
The Ambassador said they had the sharing of a text for the new agreement between the EU and Bangladesh, which they shared with the Bangladeshi side two weeks ago.
The European Union will continue discussions with Bangladesh on a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) and the intention of the future PCA is to upgrade their relations to include a wider range of policy areas, including climate change and security.
“We are now preparing a high level mission from Brussels, which will come to Dhaka in the first week of November, and where we will not only discuss this new PCA but also which is upgrade, of course, of the of the treaty, and also the Joint Commission with the interim government,” Miller said.
So all of this to say, he said, there are strong political messages and what is important for them, beyond the political message, is that the transition as they want has to take place in a smooth manner.
“We wanted to have the ambition to introduce good governance across the board. Of course, this period has to be characterised by respect for the rule of law and human rights, which is what we see,” the envoy added.
