European Union Ambassador to Dhaka William Hanna said on Tuesday the ruling and opposition parties could engage in constructive dialogue to overcome the political impasse in the country.
His comments came against the backdrop of unveiling of proposals by the parties to end the current political deadlock. “We are encouraged by the fact that both the main party leaders have made proposals in the last few days aiming at finding a political solution to the current problems in Bangladesh,” Ambassador Hanna told a group of journalists at a local hotel.
He also voiced EU’s opposition to violence and reminded that the world was watching Bangladesh.
“It is good to see both parties seeking to avoid the path of confrontation. The EU is opposed to all political violence,” he said. “We urge both parties to now engage in constructive dialogue to bridge the gap between them, and to arrive at a politically acceptable way forward,” he added.
Responding to a query, Hanna described the speeches of the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader as positive and constructive and said, “I really do think this is the time now to engage in dialogue and positive signals have been given.”
He, however, said, “It’s not for us to say what the formulation will be. I don’t think you need anyone to intervene. It’s your affair. But its terribly important that it should be done. The world is watching Bangladesh.”
“Recently, we have discussions in Brussels with all the member states of the EU. We have looked at the situation. Our line is dialogue is the way forward,” he added.
About the consequences of failure to reach an agreement between the parties, the Ambassador said, “I am not going to engage in speculation what is going to happen next. But, we have seen its encouraging. We stress on the positive aspects.”
-With The Independent input
