EU Parliament proposes resolution seeking Bangladesh govt's guarantee for free, fair election
Seven groups including the centre-right, social democrats and leftists of the European Parliament brought this proposal
A joint motion for a resolution has been placed on the European Parliament seeking gurrantee from the Bangladesh government for a free and fair parliamentary election in 2024.
The proposed resolution brought by seven groups of the EU Parliament on Thursday (14 September) reads, "[It] is concerned by the mass arrests of opposition representatives and the excessive use of force against protesters in Bangladesh."
The resolution also called on the Bangladeshi government "to guarantee the conditions for free, fair and participatory elections in 2024."
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It further underlined that "unhindered domestic and international observation is a key international standard."
The groups that brought the resolution include the centre-right, social democrats and leftists of the European Parliament.
Earlier on Wednesday (13 September), six representatives of the groups participated in a debate at the parliament session on the proposal.
They said the human rights situation in Bangladesh continues to deteriorate, with enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, civil society organisations face harassment and repression from the government and judiciary in Bangladesh while defending human rights in the country and participating in UN human rights procedures.
The vote on the proposed resolution is scheduled to be held on Thursday (14 September).
The resolution urged authorities in Bangladesh to cooperate with human rights organisations, in order to collectively bring an end to human rights abuses in the country, including enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.
It recalled Bangladesh is under enhanced engagement with the EU through the Everything But Arms trade arrangement and noted that the use of this procedure is due to the seriousness of the reported violations of international conventions in Bangladesh.
EU Parliament urged the EU Commission to intensify scrutiny of human rights trends Bangladesh, with a view to assessing GSP compliance.
It instructed to forward the resolution to the EU Commission, the Council, the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the EU Special Representative for Human Rights, and the Government and Parliament of Bangladesh.
The resolution called for adherence to international agreements on the exercise of civil and political rights.
Besides, the issue of ensuring a safe and favourable working environment for non-governmental development organisations, human rights activists and religious minorities has also been highlighted.
The resolution expressed concern over the arrest of opposition leaders and the use of force against protesters in Bangladesh.
It called upon the government to ensure a favourable environment for free, fair and participatory elections in 2024.
According to the resolution, the human rights situation in Bangladesh has seriously deteriorated, which includes extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, freedom of expression and workers' rights.
The European Parliament resolution also called on the government to immediately and unconditionally withdraw all charges brought against the human rights organisation Odhikar's representatives and to reinstate the organisation's registration.
It requested the government to take steps to ensure that civil society organisations can utilise approved foreign grants.
The resolution called on the government to cooperate with the United Nations in establishing a special mechanism to investigate allegations of enforced disappearance. Emphasis has been placed on allowing international observers to participate in court hearings.
In June this year, a group of six members of the European Parliament (MEPs) expressed concerns over the human rights situation in Bangladesh and urged the High Representative of the European Union to take action to restore democracy in the country. In a letter issued on 12 June, they asked the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, also the vice-president of the European Commission, to take necessary measures while engaging in constant dialogue with Bangladesh authorities on the Human Rights agenda.
