The European Parliament in Brussels has called on all political parties in Bangladesh to de-escalate tensions and engage in an immediate dialogue for new elections as soon as possible.
In a resolution, it said all political parties in Bangladesh should engage in an immediate and genuine dialogue in order to find a way to hold new elections which would be free, fair, transparent and peaceful reflecting the will of the Bangladeshi people.
The resolution on the parliamentary elections in Bangladesh strongly condemning the acts of violence which had occurred in the run-up to and during the polls and particularly the attacks on the most vulnerable populations, including women and children as well as religious and ethnic minorities.
The 10-point non-binding resolution to be discussed on Thursday expressed deep concern about the high number of casualties in these clashes and expressed its condolences to the families of the victims.
It said that the conditions for transparent, inclusive and credible elections were not met in the January 5 polls and that the people of Bangladesh were not given the opportunity to express fully their democratic choice.
The resolution urged all political leaders in the country to de-escalate political tensions and to strictly call on their supporters not to participate in any acts of violence.
It called on the government to instruct its security forces to strictly observe their obligation to use maximum restraint and avoid lethal force and to thoroughly investigate the deaths of all those killed.
It urged all political parties and actors concerned to respect the rule of law and reminded the government that it should refrain from purely politically motivated arrests.
The resolution recalled the obligation of the Bangladesh government to respect its international commitments in the field of human rights.
It called on the European External Action Service to monitor closely the human rights and political situation in Bangladesh.
Courtesy of New Age
