LONDON: Much interest of the British law makers about Bangladesh have created enormous curiosity and questions among the Bangalees living abroad.

However, these interests of the British MPs are not new, yet the interests they are showing as the member of the fountain of parliamentary democracy, have aroused questions in the Bangalaee community in Britain.             

On January 16, a long discussion held in the British parliament and comments made by some MPs are being evaluated from different angles by the Bangalees living abroad.

Some of them think that the MPs made comments with sufficient information while some think that they had gap in knowing things in proper way.

To make the democracy forward ahead MPs of Britain debated in the parliament and in other forums with some constructive suggestions but the Bangalee community alleged to banglanews that the activities of MPs reflects the two clear divided streams of Bangladesh politics.     

Regarding a recent debate held in the House of Commons on January 5 election, about the remarks and questions of some MPs some Bangladeshi expatriates alleged to banglanews that their (MPs) conception was unclear and incomplete.               

Many alleged that the presence of BNP vice-chairman Tarique Rahman in Britain and the war crimes involved Jamaat lobbyists  are supplying wrong information to the MPs.

Recently, considering the curiosity of the Bangalees living abroad banglanews tried to contact some MPs about their views centering current politics of Bangladesh.    

Some MPs responded positively to this attempt of banglanews. This attempt is met with quick response. One member of House of Lords has already contacted banglanews over telephone.

Basically, banglanews wanted to know from them about   debates held in House of Commons, remarks made in seminars and discussions about the activities of the two rival political main streams in Bangladesh. It was enquired from the MPs that why they have become so much interested about Bangladesh politics – Is it the pressure of the voters of Bangladeshi community or the lobbying of the two hostile parties of Bangladesh or the variable trend of International politics?     
                             
Recently, the British MPs expressed their own views in the parliament in a long debate held on Bangladesh related APPG chaired by Aan Maine.     

In that debate one lawmaker expressed his apprehension that the army might be interested to the state power. This type of wrong information about a sovereign state is how far logical and right? Opinion of some MPs was also sought regarding this comment.   

How far the activities of the supporters of rival groups lobbying to the MPs are positive or negative both for Britain and Bangladesh politics?

Here we would like to present the views of the British MPs and their excess interests about Bangladesh.  
        
In the first part, we like to present the All Party Parliamentary Group chair Conservative Party MP Aan Maine’s discussion with banglanews.   

“Though the election was acceptable as per rules still the presence of the voters were frustrating”  
A number of MPs responded to banglanews through e-mail but the Bangladesh affairs APPG chair Aan Maine, also a conservative party MP had invited this correspondent directly.

Aan Main on January 16, led a long debate. That debate was held in presence of only 30-32% MPs out of 650 members. In that debate the remarks of Aan Maine that in January 5 national polls only 30% voters were present and moreover it held without the participation of the main opposition.   

However, Aan Maine faced a lot of criticism for this remark. The critics told that the Bangladesh Election Commission reported that the voters’ presence was 39% and then how Maine could make such a misleading comment and what was its basis.

Some critics observed that Maine remarked about the presence of voters on January 5 but he did not say anything about the violence and terror situation created by BNP-Jamaat workers on that day and their obstructions by them for going the voters in the poll centers.

Even Maine did not mention the information of All-Party government to conduct the polls. The neutrality of Aan Maine was also raised as he did not mentioned the fact that it was BNP who as per their choice did not participate in the polls not that it was done keeping BNP out of election and also the BNP created violent situations across the country.

On Tuesday afternoon, this correspondent met Aan Maine in the parliament House. APPG chair wanted to know from banglanews about some questions sent through e-mail and he also explained his own position regarding Bangladesh.  

In this explanation he answered some questions directly and some answers were tactful. Apart from e-mail questions banglanews though showed interests but he avoided more answers saying he had other appointment and thus brought down the curtain on interview session.   

Explaining his stand on Bangladesh affairs, Aan Maine said the January 5 poll was acceptable held following the constitutional obligation still the presence of the voters was remarkably thin.     

The voters were deprived from voting as they failed to choose their representatives in fifty percent seats. The election held without the participation of the main opposition may get recognition as it followed the election code still there is a question of morality that how far this poll will be able to involve mass people- the doubt will prevail- such question was put by the government opined MP Aan Maine. 
           
Regarding the demand of caretaker system in Bangladesh he replied that it is the internal matter of Bangladesh. About the violent activities of BNP-Jamaat he said, “I do not say against any single party, however, violence in politics is not acceptable to us. The matters involved with violence should be understood by all.”

Aan told that violence cannot be the language of protests. Without accusing any party he criticized the incidents of minority attack. He said that though Bangladeshi people nourish the spirit of secularism but there is lot of problems in giving it wide shape in the country. However, he did not elaborate where the problem lies.

The recent interests of the British MPs are not new. About 6 lakhs British Bangladeshis live in Britain, he informed.     

He further told expatriate 6 lakh Bangalees came here leaving there relatives, property in their country. So it is natural that they will be anxious about Bangladesh. Therefore, the British MPs will share the anxious of the British-Bangladeshi expatriate.

Moreover, a politician will definitely desire to have rule of law worldwide, human rights, freedom of expression, practice of sound democracy, consensus of the political parties on national important issues.
If this universal ingredient of politics gets knocked down for any reason then it is a matter of discussion. It is very natural that Bangladesh, being a top development partner of Britain where the money of British tax-payers are spent then their MPs must have interests.

Recollecting the past times this Conservative Party MP mentioned about the strengthening of democracy, improvement of electoral system and the huge expenditure incurred due to the training of the government officials of Bangladesh.

The assistance is still continuing, he mentioned. The interests of the MPs should not be considered with negative perception as they have right to know whether our tax- payers money is being spent with transparency. He presented informed that in past, Bangladesh was allocated an amount of 250 million pound for road construction.    

He alleged that the amount was not spent properly even specified road was not constructed. However, Aan did not mention when this incident took place who were in the government.     

Aan Maine who frequently visited Bangladesh said, the main foreign currency earning sector garments is not running with required conditions as the living standard of garment workers, working environment and security. Many British MPs raised their voices regarding these.       

Mentioning the Rana Plaza tragedy, he said that it was one of the biggest human made tragedies of the world. If any MP questions and become vocal about the risk factor in Bangladesh factories and the standard of working condition then definitely there cannot be politics only humanity.   

After the Rana Plaza tragedy a delegation of MP led by Aan Maine visited Bangladesh and after return they submitted a report with sufficient and authentic information. The support of the British-Bangladeshis for the county’s political party is their own, there is nothing bad in it, observed this British MP.     

Expatriate Bangladeshis will try to convince their own MPs, the MPs will listen and will explain from their own perspective not from any partisan attitude. He also raised question to banglanews that should we not listen to them? Not only the expatriate Bangladeshis carry on propaganda even the Bangladeshi politicians carry on propaganda coming over here.

When his attention was drawn to the remarks of a British MP’s about the taking over state power by the army the Aan said, “This practice nothing new in Bangladesh. If we go back in the past we will see the same scenery.”   

He told that the comments of a back bencher MP will encourage the army to take over power- this conception is not at all correct.

One think tank of USA has recently termed Chhatra Shibir as the third terrorist organization in the world. When his attention was drawn to the information, Aan said, “I have heard it and for this reason I am not interested to sit with Jamaat.”  

At the time of talk with banglanews, he alleged that on several occasions his remarks were placed with distortions in the Bangladeshi media that created lot of misunderstanding. It is important to note that earlier some Jamaat activists in the veil of NGO met with him and after that the Jamaat issued press release that Aan Maine had a meeting with Jamaat which she denied.

BDST: 0911 HRS, MAR 14, 2014