US ambassador says engage political parties in reforms

Outgoing US ambassador Patricia Butenis says she hopes Bangladesh will have a new democratic government by next year and a better climate for foreign investment inflows.

Speaking on a state-run BTV program on friday evening, Butenis cautioned: "We've got a way to go." She said political parties must be allowed a role in the current process of reforming political and electoral institutions.Reforms were a must, she said but warned they wouldn't be possible "without engaging the political parties".

"No one has accused majority of the membership (of a political party) of being corrupt," Butenis said in a recorded interview on "shomoyer kotha" program. Her clear emphasis was on an early lifting of the ban on politics. "Wouldn't it be better to make them partners in this process?" she told interviewer Syed Munir Khasru. "Resolving of the issue of leadership" was also possible "if all the parties talk together".

Butenis, who is departing Dhaka Saturday to take up her new assignment in the US mission in Baghdad, described Bangladeshis as "warm, friendly and hospitable". She also said she will remember Bangladeshi hospitality, culture, and mango. But she joked Bangladeshis also at times tended to be "conspiratorial".

The outgoing envoy denied the United States having any secret agenda in Bangladesh. She assured Bangladesh of easing the visa procedures for "true and genuine" Bangladeshi applicants.

She continued with her characteristic attack on the Bangladeshi media that the ambassador often accused of attributing to her statements she had never made or activities she had never undertaken. Although, she made it clear that the solution was not to shut them up but to help them learn and improve.

Butenis described the transition from democracy to a state of emergency as 'difficult time'. She said a lot of people were relieved when the state of emergency was imposed. Answering a question on interference, she said: "Political problems in Bangladesh are not simple. One problem goes into another. Obviously you cannot solve all the problems in 18 months." She however appreciated the government's efforts to bring changes to people's attitude which she described as positive. She said the best way to solve the problems was to have an elected government.

On having assistance from the US for the elections, Butenis said, "We are working with the government and ready to offer any sort of funding that may be required." The US government is working with the Election Commission but not "dictating" it.

On the critical turning point in national politics, she said: "I don't know how one can proceed in political reforms by keeping politicians in the box. Reform must be done taking them on board as partners. "When we talk about reforms in politics we are talking about leadership that should go way forward. By holding the politicians back you are denying their participation. "It was very frustrating when the political leadership failed to agree on selecting a leader for the caretaker government. I tried to promote dialogue on this issue but I really didn't think they were serious."

Ms. Butenis was appointed by the US Senate as mission chief in Bangladesh on 16 February 2006. She joined Dhaka office on 17th march as the thirteenth US ambassador in Bangladesh. She worked in Pakistan before Bangladesh.

Patricia Butenis was graduated on international relationship from Columbia University in New York. She joined the US foreign administration in 1980.