Håkon Arald Gulbrandsen, the Norwegian ambassador to Bangladesh, has said that in Norway, candidates maintain friendly relations during election campaigns because politics is not personal — it is public service.
He added that Bangladesh holds immense potential, and a healthy political culture will always expand the country’s opportunities.
He made these remarks at the opening session of the Dhaka Tribune seminar titled “In Pursuit of a Better Political Culture in Bangladesh’s Democratic Transition,” held on Tuesday morning. at a hotel in Gulshan, Dhaka.
The event was organized with the support of the Embassy of Norway in Dhaka, while Bangla Tribune is serving as the media partner. The seminar is being moderated by Dhaka Tribune Editor Reaz Ahmad.
Ambassador Gulbrandsen said Bangladesh is undergoing a democratic transition and the interim government has initiated several extensive reforms. Multiple reform commissions have been formed, which have already made numerous recommendations — some of which have been implemented. The newly elected government in the upcoming parliamentary elections is expected to carry these reforms forward.
However, beyond institutional and policy reforms, he stressed the need to focus on political culture. Without improving political culture, he warned, Bangladesh risks repeating the patterns of past authoritarian tendencies, confrontational politics, political repression, and corruption.
The seminar brings together participants from diverse professional backgrounds. Notable discussants include Dr Rounaq Jahan, Political Scientist and Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD); Håkon Arald Gulbrandsen, ambassador of Norway to Bangladesh; political analyst Dr Zahed Ur Rahman; Barrister Shishir Manir, member of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami; Dr Mirza M Hassan, senior research fellow at Brac University; Mohammad Asaduzzaman, director of research at the Dhaka Institute of Research and Analytics (DAIRA); journalist Zyma Islam of The Daily Star; Dr Asif M Shahan, professor at the University of Dhaka; and Fahim Mashroor, member of the Citizens’ Coalition.