EU welcomes Bangladesh’s move to develop human rights further

The European Union (EU) today welcomed Bangladesh’s initiative for further development of human rights, official sources said.

The remarks came from a meeting between a delegation of the European Union led by its Special Representative for Human Rights, Eamon Gilmore and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Principal Secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) here.

During an over one hour meeting starting at 10.00am, Gilmore also expressed satisfaction over the Awami League government’s move to amend the Digital Security Act and the country’s Labour Law.

When contacted, PM’s Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Jahid Tusher confirmed BSS of holding the meeting, but declined to divulge more.

However, official sources said that issues of development of human rights in Bangladesh, sending EU observers ahead of the next general election, Digital Security Act and labour law have prominently came for discussion, among other issues, in the meeting,

The PM’s Principal Secretary has assured the special representatives of providing the EU all sorts of cooperation from the government of Bangladesh they required.

He also called upon the EU to make sure that Bangladesh’s export in EU member countries will increase further after its complete graduation from a Least Developed Country (LDC) to a developing nation.

European External Action Service (EEAS) Political Adviser Viktor Velek, Ambassador Charles Whiteley and First Secretary (Political) Sebastian Riger-Brown, among others, were present.

Gilmore, who arrived in Dhaka on Monday on a six-day visit, will hold meetings with government officials and other stakeholders to discuss human rights issues.

He will also discuss with concerned government officials over the Rohingya issue and will visit refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Gilmore is likely to hold meetings with Law Minister Anisul Haq, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam.