Diplomats call for end to violence.
A group of foreign diplomats stationed in Dhaka on Wednesday called for putting an end to the ongoing political violence in the country and creating space for peaceful political programmes.At a programme of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the US ambassador to Bangladesh, Marcia Stephens Bloom Bernicat, said, ‘Like my colleagues, we have called for the cessation of the violence.’She said, ‘We are absolutely optimistic that Bangladesh and Bangladeshis have the resolve to solve the crisis…You have the blessing of the democratic space and you have vibrant press, the civil society and active and resource-rich business community.’
Bernicat said that her country joined Bangladesh’s other friends in expressing deep concern over the current crisis.Ambassadors, high commissioners and senior officials of a number of diplomatic missions and development partners attended the programme at Sonargaon Hotel in the capital.Federation president Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed briefed the diplomats about the current political situation in the country, economic activities and the steps the government had taken for the betterment of the business community.Japanese ambassador to Bangladesh Shiro Sadoshima said that Bangladesh needed to be united like in 1971 and to stop political unrest to be a middle income country.
Canadian high commissioner Benoit-Pierre Laramee said that the ongoing violence must stop and there must be space for peaceful political programmes.
Russian ambassador Alexander Nikolaev said that the current political situation of the country was a matter of great concern for the federation and others as it was a threat to the economic development of the country.‘I am not in charge and do not dare to make any definition about who is responsible for the situation and whose fault it is, but I am absolutely convinced that any responsible government in any country around the world is obliged to protect its people and their business and economic activities,’ he said.He said that any tolerance to the violence, extremism, terrorism and criminal killings was not acceptable. ‘Political and economic stability in any country is the number of obligation of any government by any course.’
South Korean ambassador Lee Yan Young said, ‘We hope this kind of political crisis should end through compromise and consensus among political parties as soon as possible.’He supported the call from the people in the country, many institutions and the civil society who were asking for the peace and dialogue among the parties.At least 97 people have been killed, mostly in firebomb attacks and in reported ‘gunfights’, since the violence broke out across the country on January 5 after the government denied the BNP-led alliance permission to hold a rally in the city.The alliance has been demanding fresh polls since the January 5, 2014 elections, boycotted by all opposition parties.The police also arrested hundreds of opposition political activists and leaders for their alleged involvement in the violence.
Kazi Akram said that the ongoing blockade and associated violence had hit the economy very hard, with the country counting an average economic loss of Tk 2,700 crore per day.
He said, ‘The deadly political activities are badly affecting the economic activities. Import-export trade along with shipment and commodity supply chain are all in vulnerable position to the disruption of transport. Small and medium businesses are also been affected while day-labourers are largely unemployed.’
The top business leader said, ‘Our potential economy is now at a crossroads. The business people want a peaceful atmosphere to carry out their normal activities.’
Kazi Akram, also the ruling Awami League advisory council member, claimed that they were not involved in the any politics and that the ongoing violent activities including killing and burning people and damaging economy was not political activities rather ‘terrorism.’
News Curtesy: www.newagebd.com
