Next general election in Bangladesh will be free and fair, UK envoy hopes

He expressed the hope while speaking at ‘Meet The Reporters’ at the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU) in the capital on Sunday afternoon.

The British High Commissioner also said: “All the friendly countries of Bangladesh want to see a free, fair and impartial election. At the same time, the United Kingdom wants to see transparent democracy in the country.”

High Commissioner Dickson also said it is imperative for Bangladesh to conduct the next general election in a free, fair and peaceful atmosphere to attract more foreign investment to Bangladesh.

Referring to the Rohingya repatriation issue, the British High Commissioner said their shared aim is to see “voluntary, safe and dignified” repatriation of the Rohingyas as soon as conditions in Myanmar allow.

“Bangladesh continues to be extraordinarily generous in its response. The refugees have access to healthcare, food, shelter, and water and sanitation,” he said.

The High Commissioner said they have seen generosity in the roll-out of Covid-19 vaccines for refugees.

He, however, said despite progress, the situation remains challenging both for the Rohingyas, especially for women, and for their hosts in Bangladesh.

“We’re leading donor to the international response to the Rohingya refugee crisis having contributed over £320m since 2017 to support both refugees in the camps and host communities including in building resilience against COVID-19,” said the High Commissioner.

Describing the Rohingya crisis as a “tragedy for all involved,” the British High Commissioner said no one chooses to live in a refugee camp or to host a large influx of displaced people.

“As with so many other refugees worldwide, the great majority of the Rohingya population say they want to return home,” said the British envoy, adding that they are ensuring the Rohingyas and Bangladesh are not forgotten.

High Commissioner Dickson said they raise the plight of the Rohingya on the international stage, including in the UN Security Council. “As a new Dialogue Partner of ASEAN, we support the efforts of the ASEAN Special Envoy.”

Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char Island.

DRU President Nazrul Islam Mithu and General Secretary Nurul Islam Hasib also spoke at the event.