DHAKA: Heads of Mission of the EU resident in Bangladesh on Wednesday shared their concerns regarding the current situation in Bangladesh while holding a meeting with the Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali.

The delegates regretted the on-going violence and disruption in the country, which has resulted in several deaths, hundreds of casualties and the destruction of property.

They also condemned the aggression perpetrated on January 13 against the former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Reaz Rahman as well as the horrific attack against the passengers of a bus in Rangpur on January 14.

The Heads of Mission expressed concern on the shrinking democratic space.

They also emphasized that actions to restore peace and stability should not be at the expense of freedoms of assembly, movement and speech.

They further advocated that refraining from violence and engaging in genuine dialogue between all stakeholders would open the way forward to strengthen democracy.

BDST: 1813 HRS, JAN 14, 2015