US envoy hopes for consensus

US Ambassador to Bangladesh Dan W Mozena yesterday expressed hope that major political party leaders would reach consensus on a mechanism to hold the next general elections as the nation could not afford further political instability.
“It is the duty of the leaders of political parties to engage in constructive dialogue and find a way to reach agreement on a mechanism for holding free, fair, credible and participatory elections,” he said.
Mozena was replying to questions at a press conference organised by the US embassy at a restaurant in Rajshahi city at the end of his five-day tour to the country's five northern districts.
“I think these people (political party leaders) understand that this Bangladesh can be the world's largest exporter in terms of readymade garment, pharmaceuticals, small freighter vessels, information technology, finished leather goods and silk.”
Mozena observed that Rajshahi has the potential and facilities to produce 1,000 tonnes of raw silk a year but it currently produces 50 tonnes against the country's demands for 300 tonnes.
He hoped that increasing silk production would create jobs for women.
“This is a moment in world history, in the world economy that Bangladesh can take off. Bangladesh can be the Bengal tiger, the next China in terms of exports...this is the time when these opportunities cannot be ceased,” he said.
The US government provided over US $5 million in assistance in sectors like health and community policing in the five northern districts in the last one year. Now it wants to encourage a new bio-cooking stove technology, he said.
This technology, costing around US $5 to 9, would help reduce fuel consumption and pollution by 40 to 60 percent, he added.
Later, the ambassador attended a Community Policing Festival in Rajshahi Liberation War Memorial Stadium where 160 students and 32 teachers from 16 schools and 40 people involved in community policing attended.