The United Kingdom has urged the government and all political parties in Bangladesh to ensure an inclusive and participatory political process.
In a statement on Thursday, the UK secretary of state for foreign and commonwealth office, Hugo Swire, insisted on taking confidence-building measures necessary to stop violence and reduce tension.
The UK minister joined the calls for confidence-building measures as a group of diplomats of developed countries, stationed in Dhaka, recommended the same in their interactions with the government and the BNP leaders in the past few days.
“I urge all parties in Bangladesh to take confidence-building measures to end 60 days of violence and disruption,” Hugo Swire said in his Twitter posting.
In the foreign office press statement, he said he was saddened about the last 60 days of violence and disruption which, he pointed out, has had such an impact on the livelihood, education and security of so many Bangladeshi people.
“There is no place for this in a democratic Bangladesh,” he added.
“The UK urges all of Bangladesh’s political parties, the Government and others in society, to take the confidence-building measures necessary to stop the violence, to reduce tension and to ensure an inclusive and participatory political process,” the UK minister said in the statement.
He earlier raised deep concern at the ongoing violence, arrest and confrontations between Bangladesh’s rival political camps.
Last week, the ambassadors of 15 countries and the European Union in Dhaka have issued a joint letter, calling for a peaceful solution to the ongoing political crisis in Bangladesh.
They also asked the political parties to desist from using provocative language and violence in order to close the gap between the opposing sides.
-Prothom Alo
