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German ambassador to Bangladesh Rudiger Lotz on Wednesday said that Bangladesh needs a process of national reconciliation that requires acknowledgement from former leaders about what went wrong.

He said a national dialogue could be held for the reconciliation after the upcoming national polls scheduled for February next year.

‘What Bangladesh ultimately needs is a process of national reconciliation — a dialogue that brings the country together,’ the German envoy said while responding to reporters’ queries at the DCAB Talk oraganised by the Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh at the National Press Club.

He said that such a process has been missing for many years. ‘Reconciliation requires willingness from all sides, including acknowledgment from former leaders about what went wrong. That moment could come after the elections,’ the ambassador added.

About the recent verdict sentencing deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina to death for committing crimes against humanity during the July Mass Uprising, he said that Germany and the European Union oppose the death penalty in all circumstances.

He, however, said that the addressing past abuses of power was essential after major political transitions.

‘More broadly, addressing past abuses of power is essential after major political transitions. However, such processes must respect the principles of due process and the rule of law. For legitimacy, judicial procedures must be transparent and grounded in lawful standards,’ he added.

‘While we support efforts to confront past injustices, it is equally important that the legal process meets rule-of-law requirements,’ Rudiger Lotz added.

He said that Germany wanted to see the next election be held in a free, fair and participatory manner.

‘When we say free, fair, and participatory elections, we mean that citizens must be able to take part in the process without obstruction—men and women alike—and that multiple political parties should be able to contest,’ he said, adding that participation also means a peaceful campaign environment, free from intimidation, and an electoral process where results are counted accurately.

He said a high voter turnout was an important indicator—a target of around 60 per cent, as mentioned earlier by chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, would be reasonable.

‘All of this together constitutes the kind of election we hope to see,’ he added.

 Referring to the reforms, initiated in August 2024 after the fall of the authoritarian regime of Sheikh Hasina, now absconding in India, the envoy said that the ongoing reforms were essential for the country’s future.

Asked whether it would affect bilateral relations if Bangladesh backtracked on a deal for Airbus purchase, he said it might have some impacts if those were not so severe.

‘Yes, a decision on Bangladesh’s aircraft purchase could have an impact—not necessarily severe consequences, but certainly an effect—on the overall atmosphere of bilateral economic relations,’ the envoy said.

Mentioning Germany as Bangladesh’s largest trading partner in Europe, he said, ‘We value reliability in business decisions. Airbus offers a strong product, particularly relevant in a rapidly growing aviation market like Bangladesh’s. ‘

While the choice is fully sovereign, such decisions do shape perceptions, including in areas like discussions around GSP+, he observed.

He said, ‘As in any relationship—personal or business—decisions influence the broader mood.’

Asked about student visa, he said that demand for studying in Germany was rising and that was positive.

‘However, our visa section faces challenges because a considerable number of applications contain incorrect or falsified documents. This slows down the process for everyone, including genuine students,’ he said.

DCAB president AKM Moinuddin and general secretary Md Arifuzzaman Mamun also spoke at the event.