EU supports govt's efforts to make ACC truly independent
Thursday, 7 June 2007
The European Union (EU) supports the caretaker government's efforts to make the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) a truly independent body as it believes people's rights are meaningful as long as they are not undermined by corruption.
".....it's very important part when it comes to the rights of the people in a country and those rights are meaningful as long as they aren't undermined by corruption," Ambassador Andreas Michaelis, the head of the visiting five-member EU Troika delegation, told reporters after a meeting with ACC Commissioner Habibur Rahman at his office Wednesday, reports UNB.
"This is why EU supports very much the work, which the government of Bangladesh is presently investing into setting up a truly independent ACC," he added.
Michaelis, also the director general for Asian and Pacific Affairs of German Foreign Office, said they have come here as friends of Bangladesh to listen to their partners in the country about the development of Bangladesh. "We're taking keen interest in the development of the country."
About the reforms, he said, "We hope and we'll see that Bangladesh is on a way towards reforms in important sectors."
"We've had the first meeting now with the ACC," Michaelis said, adding, "There'll be many (more) meetings where we'll try to get a fresh and comprehensive impression of what political development characterises Bangladesh."
Asked if they have any concern about the existing state of emergency in Bangladesh and its return to democracy, he said, "As I've said we've come here as friends of Bangladesh. We want to listen to our partners how they describe the situation of the country.... Our humble approach to this question is that we're not making a quick statement before we listen to our partners."
".....it's very important part when it comes to the rights of the people in a country and those rights are meaningful as long as they aren't undermined by corruption," Ambassador Andreas Michaelis, the head of the visiting five-member EU Troika delegation, told reporters after a meeting with ACC Commissioner Habibur Rahman at his office Wednesday, reports UNB.
"This is why EU supports very much the work, which the government of Bangladesh is presently investing into setting up a truly independent ACC," he added.
Michaelis, also the director general for Asian and Pacific Affairs of German Foreign Office, said they have come here as friends of Bangladesh to listen to their partners in the country about the development of Bangladesh. "We're taking keen interest in the development of the country."
About the reforms, he said, "We hope and we'll see that Bangladesh is on a way towards reforms in important sectors."
"We've had the first meeting now with the ACC," Michaelis said, adding, "There'll be many (more) meetings where we'll try to get a fresh and comprehensive impression of what political development characterises Bangladesh."
Asked if they have any concern about the existing state of emergency in Bangladesh and its return to democracy, he said, "As I've said we've come here as friends of Bangladesh. We want to listen to our partners how they describe the situation of the country.... Our humble approach to this question is that we're not making a quick statement before we listen to our partners."