EU delegation stresses dialogue
An EU delegation in a meeting with the ruling Awami League has stressed the need for a dialogue between the government and opposition to find a way out of the ongoing political deadlock.
"We want to see a free, fair and participatory national election in Bangladesh," William Hanna, head of the delegation, said while briefing newsmen on the meeting.
The European Union is ready to provide technical support to the Election Commission for conducting the upcoming national election, he said after the over two-hour meeting which started around 6:30pm at the AL president's Dhanmondi office in the capital.
"We are still open for a dialogue. They (the opposition) can place their proposal before the next parliamentary session," AL Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif who headed the party's delegation at the meeting told the joint press briefing.
The five-member EU Election Exploratory Mission, lead by Balthasar Benz of the European External Action Service, arrived here Saturday on a 17-day visit to discuss with authorities and stakeholders concerned and assess the pre-poll situation.
On Sunday, the EU delegation met with the Jatiya Party leaders and assured them of cooperation in holding a credible election.
Diplomatic sources said this is a very important mission as the EU will decide about its next course of action on the basis of the report of this mission.
Earlier, United Nations Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs Oscar Fernandez-Taranco had visited Bangladesh in December last year and also May this year to foster dialogue and conductive conditions for the parliamentary election to be held any day between October 25 this year and January 24 next year.
Foreign ministry sources said the visit by the EU delegation was just the beginning of many more to follow from the United Nations, the Commonwealth and important friendly countries.
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