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Grenade blasts, arms haul probe failure irk Britain

UK minister says main political parties not committed to democracy

Staff Correspondent
Britain yesterday expressed disappointment at the government failure to reach a 'credible conclusion' in investigating the grenade attacks and arms hauls, especially the May 21 grenade attack in Sylhet on the British envoy here and said main political parties are not committed to democratic institutions.
Visiting British State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Investment Douglas Alexander, here on a daylong trip, also expressed concern at the government failure to protect religious minorities and the free media here. "Itisnotenoughfor Bangladesh's political leaders to give private assurances professing
concern about the recent attacks on journalists and incitement against religious minorities when those same political leaders are seen, in public, to be doing very little."
He said security concerns and corruption here discourage foreign investors, especially British interest to invest heavily in textile, ICT and energy sectors.
Addressing a private dinner last night, he said Britain along with other international observers will keep a close eye on Bangladeshi politics in the lead-up to the next elections, which he sees as a 'key challenge'.
"I hope that the political parties can begin to move away from hostile
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confrontation to a spirit of accommodation and agree to basic standards of conduct and abide by them,” said the state minister of Britain, the highest bilateral donor of foreign aid to Bangladesh with 125 million pound last year, and the single largest investor in Bangladesh with 50 companies. NO'CREDIBLECONCLUSION' He yesterday met up with Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, several ministers and briefed the press later on. "W: are disappointed as we have not yet seen any credible conclusion in relation to the investigation into the attack on our high commissioner. " Alexander told journalists.
The state minister added, however, that they were satisfied with Dhaka's assurance of a quick closure on the matter of the investigations. "1 received personal assurance of the prime minister's determination to continue the current investigation into the attack on our high commissioner and bring the perpetrators to justice.”
"Equally, the prime minister said she was passionately determined to continue the investigation into the attack on the opposition leader. I am satisfied that political will is there to take forward these investigations," he said.
In a speech at a banquet in his honour, Alexander said. "No-one, most of all the perpetrators of such crimes, must be left in any doubt that they will not be tolerated in a civilised, dcmocraticcountry." DOUBTING BANGIADUS HI DEMOCRACY
In the same speech. Alexander also said, "I am concerned that Bangladesh's main political parties are not seen to share that commitment to democratic institutions."
"International concerns about the shape of the political landscape in Bangladesh are having an adverse effect on perceptions of Bangladesh in critical constituencies, such as the business and potential investor com-
muni ty," he added.
He said democratic governance without honesty is redundant and good governance should be practised by everyone from the top of the government to the judiciary and the policeman on the street.
"Governance is about who governs. It is about efficient, transparent, non-partisan institutions committed to the ruleoflaw...There can be no real democracy without respect for human rights. This is not an abstract orwestem concept."
Asked for his reactions to the recent deaths in the hands of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), Alexander said any law and order agenda must have respect for the law set in that country.
He also cautioned the new AntiCorruption Commission saying, "The real test will bean early and unequivocal demonstration of its effectiveness and impartiality." PREREQUISITES FOR INVESTMENT
In his meetings with the ministers, Alexander said they identified textile, ICT and energy sectors among others for investing heavily, but said these investments would be contingent on "further work to strengthen governance, law and order, corruption and politicalstability".
Investors and international observers do not only look at the narrow commercial interest of investment climate anymore, but also pay attention to the human rights, governance and lawand order settingofthe country.
During the meetingwith the prime minister, Bangladesh sought more British direct investment and access of its products to the UK and other European markets in a bigger way.
The minister also met with Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina in the evening.
Tom Phillips, director for South Asia at the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, accompanied Alexander during the daylongvisiL