English

Home Advisor of the Interim government Lieutenant General (retd) M Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Wednesday (August 28) sought cooperation from the United Kingdom (UK) for police reform as the government has taken an initiative to make the law enforcing agency skilled, fair and people friendly.

“We have taken an initiative to reform police for building a capable, unbiased and people friendly force where UK can cooperate by providing necessary training and other supports”, he said.

The advisor said this when British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke made a courtesy call on the advisor at his secretariat office here this morning.

The UK envoy assured the advisor of providing necessary support in this regard saying a UK expert team will visit Bangladesh by next month.

They also discussed on various issues relating to mutual interests including the issue of combating terrorism, illegal migration, flood rehabilitation and Rohingya repatriation.

About investigation into the forced disappearance in Bangladesh during the previous regime, the home advisor said the government has formed a five member commission.

The commission will unearth the facts of disappearing a good number of people, mostly opponents, reportedly in hands of law enforcing agencies, during the immediate past government.

UK high commissioner laid importance on fair trial of the incidents and human rights violations occurred in recent months to fulfill the expectation of Bangladeshi people.

Those who were involved with the incidents should be brought under the purview of speedy trial, she said.

The Home Advisor informed the British envoy of arrival of a United Nations fact finding mission in Bangladesh.

Expressing her government’s desire to extend all support to the interim government Sarah Cooke said the UK is working together with Bangladesh in the areas of combating terrorism.

“We want to enhance mutual cooperation in this field in future”, she added.

The UK diplomat has also sought cooperation of the advisor for repatriation of illegal Bangladeshis living in the UK.

Standard operational procedure (SOP) will be followed in this regard, the advisor said.

While the advisor sought UK assistance for rehabilitation and repatriation of the Rohingyas, the UK envoy said the UK is providing second highest financial assistance to the Rohingya.

The UK has spent 400 million pound sterling in the last seven years for providing assistance to the Rohingyas, she said. The UK is also working with the UNSC to focus the Rohingya issue in the international arena.

The home advisor sought British support to help the flood affected people of Bangladesh.

British Embassy’s First secretary (political) Doyin Adele-Shiyanbola, immigration liaison and Migration manager Lee Mac Rae along with high officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs, among others, were present.