WORLD NEWS

Leaders of major political parties in Bangladesh should engage in constructive dialogues on holding next parliament election in a credible manner in a bid to come out of the present deadlock, said outgoing Danish Ambassador Svend Olling while talking The News Today recently.
He expressed deep concern at the prevailing political turmoil and urged the major political parties to resolve the crisis through dialogue in the greater interest of the country.
Svend Olling said violence is never acceptable in democracy, and expressed the hope the next general election will be free, fair and credible.
‘Bangladesh has a very vibrant democracy. We hope the upcoming election will be free, fair and credible,’ the Danish diplomat said.
He said Denmark believes in democracy, people have a right to voice their concerns, to demonstrate, to march.
He said Denmark is ready to support Bangladesh in every possible way to address any underlying issues.
He said Denmark sees Bangladesh as a country that is on the move with economic growth, a leader here regionally and a leader more and more globally.
He expressed condolences over the Rana Plaza and Tazreen Fashions incidents.
He hoped the government and the opposition political parties would start a dialogue to come out of the present deadlock.
UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Oscar Fernández-Taranco arrived in the city on May 10, 2013 to hold talks with the government, opposition parties and the Election Commission as tension is mounting over the next national election.
Taranco met Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, their advisors and leaders of their parties separately. He also met members of the civil society and media during the second leg of his mission in Bangladesh.
The UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs has pitched for an immediate dialogue among political parties to find a solution to the current crisis.
Danish Ambassador Svend Olling said Bangladesh offers very low production costs and has become the most cost efficient production hub in the world.
He also said Bangladesh is becoming one of the most popular outsourcing destinations in the world. The country is strategically located next to India, China and the ASEAN markets and as a LDC country Bangladesh has tariff-free access to several regions and countries.
Currently, more than 60 of the population is below 24 years and the work force is increasing with approximately one million million people each year.
Bangladesh is a LDC country with a strong aspiration to become a middle income country by 2021. GDP (PPP) was USD 100,4 billion in 2010.
Economy has been growing approximately 6.00 per cent annually over the last decade with the private sector being the locomotive.
Describing corruption as a big barrier to attract Danish investment, he said Bangladesh ranked at the bottom out of 180 countries in corruption index in 2007 while Denmark topped the list prepared by the Transparency International.
Bangladesh can become a mid-income group country soon provided it nourishes its manpower properly and curb corruption.
As part of developing quality human resources Danish Embassy in Dhaka in cooperation with Bangladesh Enterprise Institute, Indian Institute of Management Calcutta and Value PLUS Research and Consulting recently prepared a document “ Vision 2015-Bangladesh as a leading manpower exporter” with a vision to reach remittance earnings valued at 30 billion US dollars by that period.
The Ambassador also said that local ship building industry can be a major source of export earnings after the readymade garment industry (now the major earner) as Bangladesh has a competitive edge over its Asian rivals because of its cheap and trained manpower.
On attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) in the country, The Danish diplomat said Bangladesh must focus on political stability, infastructure, energy supply and the fight against corruption. Also the government, produders and buyers should work together to ensure decent pay and safe working conditions in the garment industry.

He also praised Bangladesh’s long term success in population control, reducing infant mortality and median age rate during pregnancy and in increasing network of sanitation, but at the same time he expressed concerne about at the unequal distribution of wealth in Bangladesh as some section of the society poses such amount of property whereas a significant section of population live below poverty line.
Some of the selling arguments of Bangladesh are the availability of hard working labour and the attractive cost level, but also a local consumer market expanding with a rise in growing mid-income class, out of the 160 million population.
On the positive side is also that the country enjoys a general system of preference (GSP) in the EU and the USA markets and big conglomerates can invest here to get a good market niche in developed countries.
Danish Ambassador Svend Olling said ‘We promote trade and investment between Denmark and Bangladesh. We assist Danish exporters and investors in their business activities in Bangladesh as well as providing information to Bangladeshi companies looking for Danish business associates or suppliers.
The Trade Council and the Danish Embassy in Dhaka offers Danish companies tailor made counselling on CSR in Bangladesh. The counselling is suited to the specific needs of companies, the diplomat said.
Danish Ambassador Svend Olling said that the cost of entering new market can be significant for a small company. To overcome the barrier, the Trade Council of Denmark has economic export support packages for small and medium sized Danish companies, to assist with researching their product potential in developing countries. He said that Danida Business Partnerships facilitates establishment of partnerships that have significant impact on development in poor communities.
Svend Olling said “It is a prerequisite that at least one private Danish company takes part in the partnership. Another condition is that the partnership has a commercial orientation, creates decent employment and contributes to local development, e.g. through strategic corporate social responsible (CSR) initiatives. All participants are expected to exercise responsible business practices, show due consideration for the climate and environment, and must respect workers’ rights and ensure decent working conditions, and respect and support the principles of the UN Global Compact and the ILO Decent Work Agenda.
He said that Danida Business Partnerships serves to lower the risk of entering into new partnerships by contributing towards relevant expenses e.g. related to the transfer of knowledge and skills, covering up to 50-75 per cent of costs of activities.
Danish Ambassador Svend Olling said conditions in the garment and textile sector in Bangladesh have been the subject of much concern lately caused by several recent deadly disasters claiming hundreds of human lives and resulted in much debate, both in the country itself internationally among stakeholders such as buying houses, producers, employers’ associations, trade unions, governments, and NGOs’. The issue also affects stakeholders in Denmark and their partners in Bangladesh.
‘Acknowledging our duties to protect and respect human lights in accordance with the UN Guiding Principles on business and human rights, we will work towards achieving concrete progress within the following areas in the garment and textile sector in Bangladesh: Workers rights and safety, greener production and increased transparency in buyers’ supply ‘
He said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark support efforts by the government in Bangladesh, likeminded governments and international companies to improve the working environment for local trade unions in the textiles sector and support the efforts to establish a real social dialogue between employers’ associations, local companies and trade unions, including on wage issues.
Within the framework of the EU in Dhaka, Denmark wants to work with like minded governments, international companies and international employers associations to support a reasonable upward adjustment of Bangladesh’s legal minimum wage in 2013, he said
Within the framework of the EU in Dhaka Denmark supports the initiative by the ILO for labour reform in Bangladesh to ensure the inclusion of the rights 10 freedom of association and free collective bargaining in Bangladeshi labour legislation as well as occupational health and safety, the Danish diplomat added.
Within the framework of the NCCIB (Nordic Chamber of Commerce and Industry Bangladesh) Demark calls for continued engagement by Nordic companies in Bangladesh in tandem with support from the companies for responsible garments and textiles production in the country, he said.
He said Denmark encourages greener production and responsible use of chemicals, energy and water resources in garment and textiles production. For instance via establishment of commercially driven partnerships with support from Danida Business Partnerships.
The Danish diplomat said Denmark support efforts by the global Union Federation Industrial and the Danish trade union organisations working in the country to improve capacity and engagement of local and truly representative trade unions in the Bangladeshi ready made garment sector (RMG) and the development of lists of local RMC factories with organised labour.
He said Denmark wants to helps ensure valid factory safety inspections of companies in Bangladesh with whom Danish companies intend to sign supplier contracts preferably with local resources and worker representatives.
Denmark wants to join forces with international partners to leverage then buying power vis-a-vis common suppliers on issues like factory safety and contracting orders our to sub suppliers.
He said Denmark wants to contribute, whenever feasible, to greener production including more responsible use of chemicals, energy and water resources in Bangladesh.