The Conservative Friends of Bangladesh (CFOB) was established at last year’s Conservative Party Conference. At a well-attended launch event organised by Anne Main MP (pictured above with the former Bangladeshi High Commissioner), the Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague MP welcomed the creation of the group and supported its aims to both build better relationships with the Bangladeshi people here in the United Kingdom, and foster a greater understanding about the country of Bangladesh.
There are over half a million British Bangladeshis. Traditionally, Labour has been the political party of choice within the community. CFOB immediately recognised this and set about challenging that attitude. Bangladeshis are entrepreneurial, hard-working and family-oriented people and hence we believed that they should instinctively feel at home in the Conservative Party. Our growing membership since the launch is evidence that we were right. Up and down the country there are ‘key marginal’ constituencies where significant Bangladeshi communities live. CFOB has worked hard to make contacts and listen to the concerns of those communities. One example was the widespread concern about climate change. Bangladesh has more to fear from global warming and consequent rising sea levels than most. Some estimates suggest that over 15% of the country will be engulfed by the Bay of Bengal by the turn of the next century. That would see a forced migration of some 17 million people. We have found that the Conservative Party’s recent emphasis on developing policies that would limit Man’s contribution to that potential natural disaster has been very much welcomed by the Bangladeshi community. By actively listening to such concerns, CFOB has not only successfully spread our fresh political message to Bangladeshi communities that have not previously considered voting Conservative, it has also helped to improve broader community relations at a time when the tolerant British society that we all cherish is under pressure from Islamic extremists. Interestingly, throughout the last year feedback from the Bangladeshis we have contacted has all been very positive.
CFOB has also been keen to encourage a stable and prosperous Bangladesh. It actively supports the principle of secular democracy enshrined within the Bangladeshi Constitution drawn up in 1971. Furthermore, it retains an independent voice in Bangladeshi affairs, as it has no affiliation with any Bangladeshi parties. Evidence of this active support by the CFOB for Bangladeshi democracy was demonstrated at the beginning of this year by a group trip to Bangladesh headed by our Chairman, Anne Main MP. It had been arranged to assess the political situation which had then become very unsettled. CFOB believes that an orderly and violence-free general election held at the earliest opportunity would be in the best interests of all Bangladeshis. For Bangladesh to continue enjoying the economic growth it has seen over the last 15 years, it desperately needs the relative political stability it had experienced until the recent unrest began. Since its inception, CFOB has provided much support to all interested parties in Bangladesh, and has plans to further strengthen ties with the country. Meetings have been held with leaders of all the major political parties and a further group trip to the country is planned for later this year.
In just our first year, CFOB has increased its membership base within British Bangladeshi communities, actively supported Parliamentary candidates throughout the country and forged strong links with Bangladesh. We have every intention of making our second year just as successful for we believe that the Conservative Party has plenty to offer the British Bangladeshi Community.
(this article was also posted here on Conservative Home)
November 2nd, 2008 - 4:18 pm
APPEAL FOR JUSTICE TO SAVE FROM OPPRESSIVE LAWS Dear Sir From 1972 after independent ,Bangladeshi Nationals started to Established Industries investing family resources ,adopting innovative technology as SELF EARNER & to create job for million of unemployed & to achieve economic freedom when everything were damaged and leftover . Government also started helping these fast growing PRIVATE SECTOR INDUSTRIES with fund received from International Grant / Loan giving Agencies and stated to distributed through different Bank. From 1980 period.. But unfortunately Owner of Industries becomes victims of deep rooted conspiracy & Anti Propaganda .. The Bank Official refrain themselves from ascertaining production capacity of imported machineries and to provide required working capital loan in time extending total non-cooperation, negligence or even were reluctant to receive back their loan money if any Industrial Owner decided to pay back the loan for non-banking activities These have been done willingly to Jeopardize the Government Decision of Privatizations as well to occupy the mortgaged properties of the Owner of The . Hundreds & Thousand of Industries in Bangladesh have been destroyed by Bank Officials & Policy Maker who are not aware of First Changing Technology of the World even . Over and above Capitalizing the Illiteracy, Ignorance and Extreme Poverty of vast majority of commoner, Every things have been forced out over the Owner of Industries under private sector . Due to Such Conspiracy , Negligence’s , Fraudulent Activities including Non – Banking Activities of Bank Official & Policy Maker, Most of these Industries have became in-operative & have lost their Cash Capital, Expatriate Capabilities. And became helpless victims of oppressive laws In 1992 &1996 the Sick Industries Rehabilitation Cell were formed by GOVERNMENT OF BANGLADESH & have Identified and Registered these Industries as SICK INDUSTRIES declaring not as defaulter but victims of Violation of Contract, Negligence, Fraudulent Activities, Malpractices of Bank Officials including Policy Maker. And lack of Accountability at most of the organization of Bangladesh are no more hidden matter . THE OWNER OF THE INDUSTRIES OF BANGLADESH ARE LOOKING VERY DESPERATELY FOR JUSTICE BUT THE DOOR OF JUSTICE ARE CLOSED FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. The owner of Industries of Bangladesh are deprived of Legal Right due to enactment ARTHA RIN ACT ACT ( Money Landing Act ) on 1989 which were amended several time till 2007 and Bankruptcy Act on 1997 treating the OWNERS OF INDUSTRIES SECTOR as like as SLAVE of Primitive Age. But these laws are not applicable in Nationalized Sector where Billions of Dollars are invested, an unaccounted till today . Total outstanding Defaulted Bank Loan are about 60 to 70 % lying with Government Sector / Nationalized Concern And less then 10 % Bank loan are lying with Small & Medium Size Industries of Private Sector & Bank Official can explain well about the balance of the remaining out standing Loan. LAW OF TORTS and LAW OF CONTRACT ARE MOST COMMON LAW IN ALL COUNTRY and even in our NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIE, BUT NOT APPLICABLE IN BANGLESH YET DUE TO WHICH BANGLADESH HAS BECOME A HEAVEN FOR REPRESSION / EXPLOITATION forcing the Process of increasing – Poverty line in Geometric Ration . OWNER OF INDUSTRIES OF PRIVATE SECTOR CAN NOT CLAIM ANY COMPENSATION OR SET OFF on the Suit filed by the Bank Official or Loan Giving Agencies FOR VIOLATION OF CONTRACT, NEGLEGIENCES, MALPRACTICES, including fraudulent activities of Bank officials instead of huge loss and damages although Bangladesh is known as DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY and never was a COMMUNIST COUNTRY. CONDITION OF SICK / DISTRESSED INDUSTRIES are deplorable due to lack of Accountability