German ambassador advocates for political reconciliation in Bangladesh

German Ambassador to Bangladesh Achim Tröster has advocated for reconciliation between political parties and within parties for a peaceful transition to democracy.

"This is an idea that has worked well in the recent past in countries like South Africa or Rwanda, but equally in Europe. I don't see any reason why this should not be the case in Bangladesh and contribute to a much better communal life," he said at an event marking the German Unity Day at the Franco-German Embassy in the capital last evening.

The comment comes as the interim government has undertaken various reforms following the fall of Awami League regime on August 5 through a mass uprising. Political rivalries and lack of democratic practices and accountability created a wide arrays of problems over the years.

The German ambassador said large parts of the society in Bangladesh were willing to assume enormous personal sacrifices, up to the ultimate, for freedom, participatory democracy and more prosperity for all, not a few.

Achim Tröster said for their aspirations and dreams to come true, many citizens of Bangladesh feel that it needs a different approach in some areas.

He said he is convinced by the idea that a peaceful future of this country requires reconciliation.

He said Germany and France, who were enemies for centuries, decided that reconciliation is the way forward towards a peaceful existence of their peoples and a necessary precondition for their aspirations for a free, peaceful and prosperous Europe.

"I think France and Germany, the whole European Union, are a testimony of the success of that way."

Achim Tröster said what it needs is to change one's mind and to cast away the shadows of a bloody and revengeful past.

"In order to achieve reconciliation, we need to hear the word sorry and an apology for the crimes and mistakes that have been committed. I may be wrong, but so far, I unfortunately have not heard it here."

Furthermore, reconciliation is not possible without investigating and acknowledging the truth, the German Ambassador said.

He said the interim government is matching the expectations of many people in Bangladesh and outside of Bangladesh by making the proper investigation into the events of July and August 2024, with the support of the Office of the High Representative for Human Rights in Geneva, a priority. The German Government has contributed 50,000 Euro to this operation of the OHCHR.

He said Germany remains the second largest importer of garment from Bangladesh, and there is a lot of scope for further expanding our businesses also to other promising sectors.

The German government very much appreciates the efforts by the interim government to swiftly restore security and stability in the country and acknowledges the reforms that have been started for example in the banking sector.

The German businesspeople generally display a continued interest in Bangladesh and would very much applaud the success of Bangladesh's economic reform agenda that would allow them to intensify and broaden their business with Bangladesh.

The German government assumes that with the establishment of the interim government, the common basis for cooperation — bilaterally as well as in the framework of its cooperation with the European Union — has broadened.

"We now share more democratic values and convictions than has been the case before, and we are hopeful to jointly make the best of it, to grasp this chance that has suddenly come about, for the benefit of the people of Bangladesh, for freedom, participatory democracy and more prosperity for all and not only a few."

At the event, Commerce Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed sought support from all foreign countries with the interim government's institutional reform initiatives and also with finance on its journey towards new Bangladesh.