EU ambassador to Bangladesh Michael Miller today met with BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in Gulshan. Photo: Collected

DHAKA, Jan 12, 2025 (BSS) – European Union (EU) ambassador to Bangladesh Michael Miller today met with Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. 

The ambassador’s flag-carrying vehicle entered the BNP chairperson's office in Gulshan at 3:30pm today. 

The meeting lasted for about an hour. 

BNP Standing Committee members Abdul Moyeen Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and organizing secretary Shama Obaid were present in the meeting.

After coming out from the meeting, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury at a press conference said, "BNP believes that it is very important to complete the national election this year by making necessary reforms."

Highlighting the issues discussed at the meeting with Miller, he said that the important issues that are on everyone's mind in the current context of Bangladesh were specially discussed in the meeting. 

“One of them is the election. When is the election going to be held? What are our thoughts? What are our thoughts on the reforms that have been discussed? Ambassador Michael Miller has wanted to know about these issues from us,” he said. 

Basically, there has been a detailed discussion on the election roadmap, he added.

Khasru said, “What we have been saying from our side is that it is very important that the elections are completed within this year. Instead of going towards any other idea, let's go straight to the national elections and put the power in the hands of an elected government in future.”

To continue the democratic process in Bangladesh, it is required to hand over power to an elected government, said the senior BNP leader. 

 “We have emphasized on returning to the democratic process as soon as possible,” he added.

Stating that there was also a discussion on reforms, he also said that what was discussed about reforms is that a few issues on which all can reach a consensus can be done immediately and there is no reason to take time on them.

He said that the reforms on which there is no consensus will be taken by each party to the people in the upcoming elections. 

Khasru said the programmes they will take will be presented before the parliament in future with the mandate of the people and will be discussed, debated and passed in the parliament.

Stating that the meeting also discussed about Bangladesh economy, he said, “They have clearly said on behalf of BNP that they have already undertaken various programmes to pull the country's economy out of the hole in future”. 

“Besides, if any programme is taken during this government to boost the country's economy, BNP will definitely support it,” he added.

Khasru said that the meeting discussed that investors from the European Union have expressed interest to come to Bangladesh, and that is why the BNP welcomes the investors.