OTHER BANGLA NEWSPAPER NEWS

EU for stronger South Asian integration

Staff Correspondent

Dhaka - A visiting troika mission of the European Union Monday urged Bangladesh and its South Asian neighbours to work for stronger regional integration. "We are encouraging you, that you use benefits of cooperation in all aspects that are of common interest in the region," Helena Bambasova, the Czech deputy minister for foreign affairs, told reporters after talks with Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Dipu Moni.

The troika chief observed that integration of the South Asian region was still "very low" and there has been scope for improved cooperation among the nations.v

The EU recommended that the countries of the region should try for more cooperation and integration. But it again depends on the governments of countries of the region, she added.

"We have been speaking about cooperation of Bangladesh with India, about the relations with Pakistan and Myanmar also and about SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) and the possible cooperation with ASEAN (Association for South East Asian Nations), " the mission head told reporters Monday after meeting Foreign Minister Dipu Moni.

The mission, comprised of representatives from the current EU presidency (the Czech Republic), the next presidency (Sweden) and the European Commission, is in Dhaka on a two-day visit to take stock of Bangladesh's political situation and is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed.

The delegation also had meeting with former prime minister Khaleda Zia, the leader of the parliamentary opposition.

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Bangladesh’s main opposition party has begun an eight-hour hunger strike to protest a recent constitutional amendment it says favors the government.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia says the amendment will allow Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government to rig the next election due in 2014.

The amendment rescinded a 15-year-old requirement for general elections to be held under a nonpolitical caretaker government.

The government says it is open to dialogue on the issue.

Wednesday’s hunger strike was seen as largely symbolic.