Germany has been expecting some positive signals over dialogue between the major political forces in Bangaldesh, said the vising German parliamentary delegation.
The German Bundestag delegation, a constitutional and legislative body in the country, expressed the hope while addressing a press conference on Tuesday.
After a four-day visit in Bangladesh, Dagmar Woehrl, Member of the German Bundestag and chairperson of the Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development, who lead the delegation, however expressed “some doubts” whether the prevailing political stability can be maintained for the next five years without “substantial dialogue.”
Despite of expressing the Bundestag’s concerns over “the current Parliament as being elected by a small part of the electorate only,” they “appreciate the stability that the country has again found today.”
However, Highlighting Bangladesh’s impressive development and remarkable progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals and Bangladesh’s relation with Germany, she also said: “We support the people, and we do this irrespective of the ups and downs of politics, as long as the core values are respected which our foreign policy is based on.”
Mentioning the tragedy of Rana Plaza as “a shock not only for Bangladesh, but also for the whole world” she emphasised on better factories, higher health and safety standards, and for full compliance with ILO conventions and to make sure that production and working conditions are up to international standards.
Mentioning that Germany is Bangladesh’s second biggest market worldwide of RMG products, she observed that some progress has been made, and that it is only “the beginning of a long road.”
Among the delegation were also Deputy Head of Delegation, Stefan Rebmann, Jürgen Klimke, Mr.Frank Heinrich, Gabi Weber, Mr.Niema Movassat and Uwe Kekeritz.
