EU welcomes Dhaka’s move to further develop human rights

The European Union (EU) today welcomed Bangladesh government’s initiative for the further development of human rights, official sources said.

The remarks came from a meeting between a delegation of the European Union led by its Special Representative for Human Rights Eamon Gilmore and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Principal Secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

During a meeting at 10:00am that went over an hour, Gilmore also expressed satisfaction over the Awami League government’s move to amend the Digital Security Act and the country’s labour law.

When contacted, PM’s Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Jahid Tusher confirmed about the meeting being held, but declined to comment further.

However, official sources said that issues of the development of human rights in Bangladesh, sending EU observers ahead of the next general election, Digital Security Act, and labour law prominently came up during the discussion.

PM’s Principal Secretary has assured the special representatives of providing the EU with all the cooperation from the Bangladesh government.

He also called upon the EU to make sure that Bangladesh’s exports to EU member countries will increase further after its complete graduation from a Least Developed Country (LDC) to a developing nation.

European External Action Service (EEAS) Political Adviser Viktor Velek, EU Ambassador Charles Whiteley, and First Secretary (Political) Sebastian Riger-Brown, among others, were present at the meeting.

Gilmore, who arrived in Dhaka yesterday on a six-day visit, will hold meetings with government officials and other stakeholders to discuss human rights issues.

He is also set to discuss the Rohingya issue with government officials concerned and visit refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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