Voicing her optimism over a credible and inclusive polls here, visiting US
Under Secretary for Political Affairs Wendy R Sherman on Monday said it is
Bangladesh to decide how the election will be held.“That’s really a decision for Bangladesh. It’s wonderful to see the
vibrancy of democracy and we look forward for a free, fair, inclusive and
credible election,” she told reporters at a joint press conference when
asked about the polls-time government.
Insisted why she is so optimistic over credible polls despite a gap between
the country’s two major parties, the US top official said, “My optimism is
because I’ve seen what Bangladesh has done since its independence.”
Every time and every turn of the year, Sherman said, the people of
Bangladesh have chosen democracy and chosen to make progress, even make it
stronger and better. “The US democracy is of more than 200 years…we still
try every year to get better.”
She laid emphasis on smooth participation of individual voters in
exercising their votes saying individual voters make things different.
Foreign Minister M Shahidul Haque, US Assistant Secretary of State for
Economic and Business Affairs Jose W Fernandez, US Ambassador Dan Mozena
and Foreign Ministry DG (EP) M Shameem Ahsan were, among others, were
present.
Responding to a question on Ticfa and GSP, Sherman said that is on process.
“That’s the decision and has its own process taking place in
Washington…it’ll be decided sometimes in June. That’s all I have to say
today.”
Regarding Ticfa (Trade and Investment Cooperation Framework Agreement) the
US official said, “This is a way to further deepening our relations. Both
the governments are committed to deepening economic relations.”
Asked when Ticfa will be signed, she said, “Ticfa is only one of the
mechanisms in deepening our relationship. We’ve so many mechanisms in doing
so.”
On the role of buyers in improving work conditions and safety, Sherman said
absolutely buyers have very critical role, and they must be engaged. “We’ll
continue to work together in everyway (to get buyers role).
She said everyone has a role to play and it will have to make sure that the
tragedy does not visit Bangladesh again. “At the end of the day, it’s the
government to take the lead role…efforts to that end must sustain in order
to resolve all the problems.”
Earlier, Sherman and Haque co-chaired the second Bangladesh-US Partnership
Dialogue in the city on May 26-27.
The co-chairs of the Partnership Dialogue highlighted the robust and
growing bilateral ties between the United States and Bangladesh, a
relationship based on shared values and common goals of the two countries
and their people, including the vibrant Bangladeshi-American diaspora.
They reaffirmed their commitment to further broaden, deepen and strengthen
the partnership.
The co-chairs and their delegations engaged productively on a wide range of
topics, including democracy and governance, trade and investment, security
cooperation, and regional integration.
Throughout her meetings in Dhaka, Under Secretary Sherman stressed the
importance of an inclusive democratic process and free, fair and credible
elections.
The co-chairs acknowledged Bangladesh’s leadership role in promoting
greater connectivity in the region and discussed the security landscape in
the region, including Afghanistan and Myanmar.
In the context of regional security, they recognised that free movement of
ideas, goods and people enhances regional peace and prosperity, according
to a joint statement on the partnership dialogue.
They noted the productive meetings of the dialogue and reviewed the
continued collaboration in countering terrorism, counterterrorism, security
assistance, UN peacekeeping operations and humanitarian assistance.
The co-chairs recognised the vital and active role Bangladesh plays in
ensuring security and stability, regionally and globally.
They claimed that the Partnership Dialogue was held in a warm and cordial
environment and agreed to hold the third dialogue in Washington in 2014.
Sherman announced the creation of a $2 million programme, as part of
President Obama’s Global Health initiative, to improve the management of
deadly tuberculosis through the private health sector in Bangladesh.
Funded through USAID, this programme will improve the detection and
treatment of tuberculosis in private sector hospitals, clinics, and
pharmacies, said a US embassy release.
Sherman announced the creation of a new five-year, $8 million programme
award as part of President Obama’s Global Climate Change initiative to the
World Bank to expand the use of solar energy in Bangladesh.
Under this Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy II program, USAID is
contributing to the installation of solar home systems, power grids, and
irrigation pumps.
The US is funding an assessment to measure point source emissions of black
carbon (soot) from select industrial sites across the country, it said.
This assessment, also part of President Obama’s Global Climate Change
initiative, complements US-Bangladesh collaboration on the Climate and
Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants, of which the
United States and Bangladesh are founding members.
USAID has launched a new three-year, $7 million programme to improve the
economic and nutritional status of 100,000 people in southern Bangladesh.
This horticulture activity, launched under President Obama’s Global Food
Security initiative, will expand the production and consumption of a
variety of local vegetables, increase the use of integrated pest management
practices, and expand cold chain systems.
The opening of an American Business Corner at the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce
and Industry which will be a repository of literature, data, and catalogues
to promote US-Bangladesh business ties.
She also referred to the inauguration of a $1 million US assistance
programme for law enforcement capacity building to combat transnational
crime and terrorism.
Additionally, Under Secretary Sherman welcomed the start of a bilateral
energy dialogue and announced ongoing work by both governmentsto outline
investment opportunities through the UN’s Sustainable Energy for All
(SE4ALL) initiative.
Sherman and Haque announced that the United States and Bangladesh are close
to finalizing an accord to extend our 2003 Agreement on Scientific and
Technological (S&T) Cooperation for another decade, building upon the
robust level of S&T collaboration between our two countries under the
existing agreement.
She underscored the continued commitment of the US government to provide
humanitarian assistance to vulnerable populations in the Bangladesh-Burma
border region.
She was accompanied to the meetings by US Ambassador to Bangladesh Dan Mozena,
Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Jose
Fernandez, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights
and Labor Karen Hanrahan, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for
Population, Refugees and Migration Kelly Clements, Deputy Assistant
Secretary of State for Energy Resources Robert Ichord, Principal Director
to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for South and South East Asia
Brigadier General Joaquin Malavet, and State Department Political and
Military Affairs Office Director Vangala Ram and USAID Director Richard
Greene.
Sherman also met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister Dipu
Moni, and participated in a roundtable discussion with government, labor,
owners and buyers on labor issues in the garment sector.( Source: UNB)
