The European Union (EU) has expressed its desire to see Bangladesh return swiftly to a democratic process, according to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). The BNP conveyed this following a meeting with a high-level delegation of the European Parliament held at the EU office in Gulshan, Dhaka, on Wednesday, September 17.

After the meeting, BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury briefed journalists, saying the EU wants Bangladesh to quickly re-establish a functional democratic system. He added that the EU delegation assured BNP leaders that Europe would extend all possible support to ensure the restoration of democracy in the country.

Speaking further on the discussions, BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan highlighted the issue of economic cooperation. He explained that BNP representatives had urged the EU to enhance trade and investment cooperation with Bangladesh. The meeting also covered issues related to the upcoming national election.

Referring to the movement that took place on August 5, Nazrul Islam Khan dismissed suggestions that it was linked to demands for a proportional representation system. He said the people who took to the streets were mainly driven by demands for democracy and free, fair elections, rather than structural electoral reforms.

According to BNP leaders, the meeting explored a wide range of topics, including the democratic process in Bangladesh, the credibility of the electoral system, and the prospects for greater trade cooperation between Bangladesh and the EU.

The BNP delegation present at the meeting included Standing Committee members Nazrul Islam Khan and Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, the Acting Chairman’s Foreign Affairs Advisor Humayun Kabir, International Affairs Secretary Barrister Nasir Uddin Asim, and Organizing Secretary Shama Obaid.

They said the exchange of views with the EU delegation reflected a shared concern about Bangladesh’s democratic future and the importance of holding inclusive elections that could ensure broad public confidence.