Ireland has offered to share its experience and expertise in police reform to support Bangladesh’s ongoing efforts to strengthen accountable and rights-based governance following the July 2024 uprising.
The offer was made during a visit by Non-resident Ambassador of Ireland to Bangladesh Kevin Kelly and Baroness Nuala O’Loan, the first Police Ombudsman of Northern Ireland, who called on Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna.
Baroness O’Loan, on a two-day visit to Bangladesh, served as Northern Ireland’s Police Ombudsman for seven years following the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, a landmark peace accord that ended decades of conflict. She oversaw the establishment of new mechanisms of police accountability and public trust during a critical transitional period.
“Ireland’s post-conflict experience offers valuable lessons in patience, inclusion, and the long-term nature of institutional reform,” Baroness O’Loan said. “We are here to share grounded experience on realistic timelines for sustainable change.”
She was accompanied by Fionnuala Gilsenan, Director of the Peace and Stability Unit at Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The British High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Sarah Cooke, also attended the meeting.
Chief Adviser Prof Yunus welcomed Ireland’s initiative, emphasizing the importance of international collaboration in maintaining a peaceful, democratic, and accountable transition.
He also requested Ambassador Kelly’s support in combating disinformation ahead of Bangladesh’s national election in February 2026.
Ambassador Kelly reaffirmed Ireland’s commitment to a strengthened partnership, highlighting shared values of peace, justice, and democratic governance between the two countries.
