Politicians in Bangladesh need to get rid of vicious politics to be able to explore huge growth potential of the country, British state minister for international development Alan Duncan said in Dhaka Wednesday.
'Politics is quite vicious here,' he told a news conference at the end of a three-day visit. Politicians have to be about the future, not about the past, through lifting up the way politics is conducted here, he said.
He said the British government wants to encourage (major) political parties, politicians and their supporters to look at politics in a different way so that they could work together for democracy and higher growth.
'The issue of caretaker government is up to you (Bangladesh people),' he said in an obvious reference to the ongoing row between the government and the main opposition party.
'What we want to see is holding of free, fair and quality elections in Bangladesh,' he said.
The British government would, he said, provide to Bangladesh one billion pound sterling in aid over the next four years (2011-15).
Asked whether or not conditions would be attached, he said the British government did not make development aid conditional.
'However, we believe that strong democracy, better governance and rule of law at all levels are essential for the reputation of a country,' he said.
A British High commission press release quoted him as saying, 'My second visit to Bangladesh reinforces my belief in the huge potential of this country and its people. We share Bangladesh's desire to see sustainable democracy and a stable environment in which Bangladesh can really grow. But Bangladesh needs, too, evolve in political maturity to enable it to fulfill its aspirations.'
He said, 'The British government wants to see an effective, efficient and non-corrupt Bangladesh.'
'There is corruption,' he said.
Asked about the role of NGOs, he said delivery of effective services cannot be done without them.
Asked whether or not he discussed with prime minister Sheikh Hasina the issue of removal of Grameen Bank founder Mohammad Yunus as its managing director, Duncan said he wanted to know whether the bank was working well without problems after his departure.
' It's not a conspiracy,' he said when asked whether or not it was a mere coincidence that he as well German minister Dirk Niebel and European Union commissioner Andris Piebalgs were visiting Dhaka at the same time.
They jointly hosted a reception on Tuesday to meet a wider section of stakeholders to reiterate the importance of 'joined up partnership' in international development.
British High Commissioner in Dhaka Stephen Evans and Chris Austin, head of the Department for International Development in Dhaka, were present at the news conference.
Austin said that over the British aid in question would come in four areas of social service, economic growth, improved governance and climate change.
During his three-day visit to Dhaka ending Wednesday, Duncan met prime minister Sheikh Hasina, the leader of the opposition Khaleda Zia, finace minister AMA Muhith, food minister Abdur Razzak and state minister for environment and forest Hasan Mahmud.
He visited Gaibandha to speak with communities facing poverty, lack of services and the risk of flooding.
He also met representatives of civil society organisations to discuss how to ensure transparency, accountability and value for British aid, according to the BHC press release.
Source : New Age
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