UK hopes for inclusive polls in Bangladesh
The UK yesterday called for making Bangladesh's next national election participatory for a sustainable democracy in the country.
It is important to the UK that the elections are free and fair, said visiting British Foreign Office Minister for the Commonwealth and the United Nations Lord Tariq Ahmad.
He said participation in the polls should be the first priority of all political parties in Bangladesh to advance the democratic values and the UK would keep an eye on Bangladesh's political developments.
“Number one, please participate and secondly let's have a free, fair and transparent election, because those are foundations for ensuing sustainable democracy for the long term,” he said in an interview with two media outlets, including The Daily Star.
He expressed disappointment over the BNP-led 20-party alliance's boycott of the January 5, 2014 national polls.
The next Jatiya Sangsad election is due in around 17 month.
The minister said all political parties should contest the next parliamentary elections as participatory polls provide the pluralistic choice of a healthy democracy.
“And in doing so, it is also important to ensure that elections are transparent, free and fair,” he said, adding that it would give a huge opportunity to celebrate the pluralistic nature of Bangladesh in 2O21 when the country would celebrate 5O years of independence.
“UK and Bangladesh have strong ties. We are strong advocate for having a democracy which is sustainable and Bangladesh has exactly moved into that area,” the UK minister said.
During his three-day visit, Lord Ahmad called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and held a meeting with State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam. He also met some political leaders and discussed the role of the Commonwealth in promoting values such as human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
Lord Ahmad said Britain already took a number of steps, including the Queen's Commonwealth Canopy, to save forests and stopping radicalisation of people through the internet.
The UK would look forward on how to engage other countries, including Bangladesh, in the process, and would also like to work together on countering terrorism, he added.
The British minister will leave Dhaka this morning for India.
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