Diplomats in Dhaka are still in fear of “terrorist attack” on them in Bangladesh, around 10 months after the Gulshan café attack, Danish Ambassador Mikael Hemniti Winther said on Tuesday.
He expressed his concern while talking to diplomatic correspondents in Dhaka. Diplomatic Correspondents’ Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) organised the programme titled ‘DCAB talk’ at National Press Club.
“We still have lot of restrictions on our own movement. In terms of risk assessment, we still feel the risk. We still have lot of restrictions on our movements...We still have a feeling that foreigners are exposed to that risk,” he said.
However, he expressed satisfaction over the security measures taken by the government after militant attack at Holey Artisan Bakery on July 1, 2016.
Twenty two people, including 17 foreigners, were brutally killed in the terror attack. Several foreign missions asked their nationals to send back their families, volunteers to home and off-limit their movement following the attack.
Winther, who joined Dhaka mission in September 2016, said that the foreign diplomats are comfortable “mentally, emotionally and psychologically” as there had been no similar attacks since the Gulshan café attack.
Based on their security assessment, the diplomat said, they decide what they should do, what they can do and what they cannot do.
Responding to a question on investment, Mikael Winther said he finds ‘quite a lower’ level of foreign direct investment (FDI) here compared to Bangladesh’s economic development and GDP.
“It’s quite low,” he said adding that even Danish investment in Bangladesh is much lower than what he expects.
Talking about the challenges of investment in Bangladesh, the ambassador said there have been quite a lot of challenges that includes bureaucracy, infrastructure, corruption issues, challenges in governance, predictability in the regulations.
“So, it’s not always easy. We’re working very closely (with Bangladesh government) to address these issues,” he said.
Emphasising the importance of boosting happiness among common people removing poverty, Mikael Winther said social security, freedom of expression, trust, good governance; work-life balance, wealth and strong civil society are the key reasons why Denmark is a happy country.