UK wants to see fair polls

The UK wants to see free and fair next general elections in Bangladesh with credible results, its Minister for International Development Andrew Mitchell said yesterday.
“Certainly the British government, like any democratic government, is in favour of a fair election that delivers credible results,” he stated at a press conference at the British Club in Dhaka as he wrapped up a three-day visit to Bangladesh.
Mitchell welcomed President Zillur Rahman's initiative to talk to the two major parties to have them arrive at an agreement on the constitution of a new Election Commission.
He said the current debate in Bangladesh was aimed at ensuring fair and credible results at the next election.
Mitchell stressed the need for constructive dialogue and strong, independent and accountable institutions to be in place in order to have sustainable democracy and development, particularly in the run-up to the next general elections.
Meanwhile, EU Ambassador in Dhaka William Hana, at a meet-the-press programme at Jatiya Press Club yesterday, said he was encouraged to see the dialogue initiated by the president on the formation of a new Election Commission.
He said such dialogue should continue in order to resolve issues relating to the Election Commission and future general elections.
Replying to a question about the concerns expressed by the leader of the opposition when he met her, British minister Mitchell said the opposition was always critical of the government as part of its job.
Asked to comment on the claim made by the prime minister during his meeting that there was no violation of human rights in Bangladesh, he said the British government always took up cases of violation of human rights in the United Kingdom and it had the reputation of standing against it wherever it happened.
Prof Yunus and Grameen Bank
Referring to his meeting with Nobel Laureate Prof Yunus, Mitchell highly appreciated the Grameen Bank microcredit programme to lift the poor out of extreme poverty.
"I am placing on records the immense admiration and respect for the work of Prof Yunus by the British government," said Mitchell.
People of Britain have deep respect "for a man who quite literally has altered the lives of millions of people around the world", he said, adding that Prof Yunus contributed significantly in alleviating poverty by helping the poorest of the poor.
Lauding what Prof Yunus has done in Bangladesh and outside to improve the economic condition of the poor, he said “I would like to express my strong support to Prof Yunus. There is also strong support from Britain for Yunus and honour for his very brilliant work.”
He also recalled his visit to Grameen Bank and meeting with Prof Yunus around five years back when he (Mitchell) was in the opposition.
“It is a stunning example that Grameen Bank has delivered to many difficult parts of the world in bringing people, especially poor women, out of extreme poverty. This is a record.
“I have known interest rates of Grameen Bank are lower than comparable national banks,” he added.
In reply to a question, he said he had expressed his admiration of Prof Yunus during his meeting with Foreign Minister Dipu Moni.
However, the British Minister refrained from making any comment on the regulation that led to Prof Yunus' departure from the Grameen Bank.
British Taxpayers' money:
On the question of whether he was satisfied with the utilisation of British money in development projects in Bangladesh, Mitchell said he had come here to see that British taxpayers' money was being spent properly to help Bangladesh's poor.
“Britain is having a difficult time for its economy and is trying to bring under control the debts and deficit. We want to see the good value of the British taxpayers' money being spent to alleviate poverty,'' he added.
“We show zero tolerance to any approach of corruption in our projects,'' said Mitchell, who visited some UK funded projects in Satkhira yesterday.
About his observation on terrorism in Bangladesh, the British minister said Bangladesh was pretty free from extremism.
British High Commissioner in Dhaka Robert Gibson and Country Representative of DFID Ms Gwen Hines were present at the press conference.
During his three-day visit, Mitchell also met the finance minister, representatives of the private sector, non-government organisations, and civil society, intellectuals and dalit leaders at Manusher Jonno.
In Dhaka, he visited UK-funded projects by UCEP and Brac and also Khulna.