Denmark expects a peaceful, free and fair election in Bangladesh in 2007, said Danish Ambassador Niels Severin Munk while talking to acting President Muhammad Jamiruddin Sircar at Bangabhaban in the city Wednesday, reports UNB. The outgoing Danish envoy made a farewell call on the acting President where the two sides discussed bilateral affairs. Praising the role of Bangladesh regarding uplift of many sectors, Munk said Denmark would continue to support the development process in Bangladesh. He also expressed satisfaction over the excellent bilateral relations. The acting President recalled with appreciation the support extended by the Danish government to Bangladesh during the War of Liberation in 1971. Denmark was one of the first European countries that recognised Bangladesh in early 1972, he mentioned. Acting President Sircar noted with happiness that trade between Bangladesh and Denmark has been increasing steadily in recent years. Inviting new investments to Bangladesh by Danish investors, Sircar appreciated the efforts of Denmark in promoting exports from Least Developed Counties (LDCs) by allowing duty-free-and quota-free access to the EU market under Everything But Arms (EBA) scheme. The acting President said, despite its huge population burden, resource constraints and recurrent natural calamity, Bangladesh has achieved notable improvement in its human development indicators, including in primary education enrolment, fertility rates and gender equality. He stated that Bangladesh has already achieved some of the millennium development goals (MDGs) in areas such as women's empowerment, primary education and maternal and infant health, safe drinking water, and is "on the right track" to meet the other MDGs. "Bangladesh is deeply committed to the promotion of peace, stability, poverty alleviation and development in South Asia through regional cooperation through the SAARC process," the acting President stated.
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