Elections can't be fair when opposition targeted: HRW on Bangladesh's political situation
“Many Bangladeshis say they have been fearing an escalation in violence because of the government crackdown on the political opposition in an attempt to subvert participation and voting,” Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said on Wednesday.
Bangladesh's international partners should insist that elections cannot be considered fair when the opposition is targeted, harassed, and behind bars, the Human Rights Watch said today.
"Many Bangladeshis say they have been fearing an escalation in violence because of the government crackdown on the political opposition in an attempt to subvert participation and voting," Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said on Wednesday.
In a report published on its website, the international human rights organisation said, "The Awami League-led government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has arrested thousands of opposition members including Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, secretary-general of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and sealed the party offices.
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"The government has increasingly carried out arbitrary mass arrests over the last year in what appears to be a coordinated effort to stifle the opposition ahead of the elections."
Furthermore, it said, "During the clashes on October 28, both Awami League and BNP supporters engaged in violence, injuring hundreds including dozens of journalists. Both parties have denied their involvement.
"While the authorities blame the BNP for the violence, the BNP has accused the government of infiltrating the gathering to initiate violence and discredit what they said was a peaceful movement. Political party leaders should call on their supporters to campaign peacefully."
The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights called on "all political actors to make clear that such violence is unacceptable and to avoid any statements or actions that could constitute incitement to violence."
Human Rights Watch also called on the police to exercise restraint.
"Although violence was committed on all sides, the events were part of a continuing police crackdown on the political opposition. At least 11 people, including two police officers, were killed, and hundreds injured during the October 28 events and during ongoing violence that has followed," it said
