US for stable, prosperous Bangladesh

The United States has said it wants greater political inclusion in Bangladesh for a more stable and prosperous future of the South Asian nation.
“In Bangladesh, we continue to press for greater political inclusion, without which a more stable and prosperous future is put at risk,” said Nisha D Biswal, US assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia at the US state department.  
She was testifying before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on Wednesday on assessing US foreign assistance priorities in South Asia, according to the US state department website.
The US, said Biswal, was disappointed with the parliamentary elections earlier this year, which were followed by harassment of opposition, independent media, and civil society.
“In addition to this harassment, we are concerned about reports of continuing extrajudicial killings as well as disappearances and abductions. We have also strongly reiterated to the government the importance of maintaining the independence, effectiveness, and integrity of Grameen Bank,” she noted.
Appreciating Bangladesh's achievement in various sectors, the US official said one must acknowledge the important gains Bangladesh has made in improving health, food security, and economic opportunity for its citizens.
On labour issues, she said the Bangladesh government has made some progress in registering unions, harmonising standards, and begining factory inspections, but much remains to be done.
“Bangladesh must end harassment of labor activists, hire more inspectors to carry out quality inspections in a timely manner, and reform its national laws and Export Processing Zone regulations to meet international standards,” she added.