BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury has said that the European Union (EU) is willing to extend its support in forming a “strong national parliament” in the coming days.
He made the comment at a press briefing following a meeting with EU Ambassador Charles Whiteley on Thursday morning at the BNP chairperson’s office in Gulshan.
“They (the EU) want to support the development of a future parliament. They want a stronger parliament in Bangladesh...with capacity-building support and an administrative secretariat so that parliamentary performance improves,” Khasru said.
He further added: “In a parliamentary democracy, all accountability rests within the parliament. The reforms we’ve been talking about are inherent in the parliamentary system itself. In the past, the parliament didn’t function effectively, and that deserves criticism. But the system does include accountability, checks, and balances. The EU wants to activate that — to ensure proper checks and balances within the next parliament.”
Amir Khasru said the hour-long meeting covered a wide range of issues, including Bangladesh's elections, development and investment.
Amir Khasru said: “They want to be a partner in the development efforts of the next elected government. They are considering funding beyond just grants and loans.”
He further said: “They have many plans for funding new sectors. For example, financing through green bonds — something we couldn’t do in the past — could be implemented under the next government. They want to collaborate on this and be a development partner. It’s a very positive sign that they are opening up new pathways for cooperation, not only with the government but also with the private sector.”
He added: “We also expect cooperation from the European Union. Much of their vision aligns with the BNP’s agenda, and they have expressed satisfaction with that.”
Khasru also said: “The ambassador primarily focused on the issue of elections during today’s meeting. With elections expected in February, there is now a sense of relief and hope that the country will return to democratic order through that process.”
“They, too, are waiting for an elected government. Their future actions — whether short-term, mid-term, or long-term — will depend on the outcome of the elections.”
The meeting also touched on labor issues in Bangladesh.
“As you know, the EU has always been concerned with workers’ rights. They raised that issue and inquired about BNP’s position on labor rights,” he said.
The discussion also included the need for transparency in the judiciary and the establishment of a judicial secretariat.
“We in the BNP have proposed the formation of a separate secretariat for the judiciary to ensure its independence. The EU supports this idea and is even willing to fund it — in fact, they may already be doing so,” Khasru said.
