UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called on all stakeholders to ensure an environment free of violence, intimidation and coercion before, during and after Sunday's general election in Bangladesh.

In the run-up to the polls, he said an environment free from violence would help enable a peaceful, credible and inclusive election.

In a statement yesterday, Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman for UN secretary-general, said, “All Bangladeshi citizens, including minorities and women, must feel safe and confident in exercising their right to vote. Civil society and electoral observers should be fully supported to play their role in the process.”

Guterres also reiterates the continued commitment of the United Nations to support a peaceful and democratic Bangladesh, it added.

The call for a peaceful and free, fair and inclusive election comes at a time when violence continues across the country before the 11th parliamentary election.

Last week, the UN said it is closely following the situation ahead of the polls in Bangladesh. 

On December 10, Dujarric said, “We believe, as a matter of principles, that elections should be held in a positive climate, free from any sort of intimidation.” 

In another development, the US yesterday expressed concern by the high level of campaign violence over the last two weeks.

Talking to reporters after a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda at the Election Commission Secretariat, US Ambassador Earl Miller said he asked for this meeting because the US is concerned by the high level of campaign violence over the last two weeks, says an embassy statement.

All parties have been victims of violence, including minorities and female candidates. However, it appears opposition party candidates have borne the brunt of most violence, he said. 

Miller added, “I appreciated the opportunity to consult with the Election Commission to see what plans it has to create a conducive atmosphere, so all Bangladeshis, no matter their political affiliation, feel safe to go to the polls on Sunday and cast their votes for the candidates of their choice.

“Bangladesh is rightfully proud of its democratic traditions, including elections where upwards of 70 percent of the electorate turns out to vote. In any democratic election there must be space for peaceful expression and assembly; for independent media to do its job covering electoral developments; for participants to have access to information; and for all individuals to be able to partake in the electoral process without harassment, intimidation, or violence.”

The US wishes all Bangladeshis a free, fair, tolerant and peaceful election day on Sunday, the envoy added.

The United States has said unlawful or political killings, forced disappearances, life-threatening prison conditions, freedom of speech limitations, negative government pressure on and fear of reprisal by press and media, and impunity for security force abuses were the most significant human rights problems in Bangladesh last year.

US Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo formally released the 2018 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices and delivered on-camera remarks yesterday morning at the press briefing room of US Department of State in Washington DC.

There were reports of widespread impunity for security force abuses last year, while the Bangladesh government took few measures to investigate and prosecute cases of abuse and killing by security forces, said the report.

It also considered a number of rights issues, such as torture, arbitrary detentions, corruption, trafficking, overly restrictive NGO laws, workers' rights, use of the worst forms of child labour, and violence against LGBTI persons; unlawful interference into privacy, censorship, site blocking, peaceful assembly and freedom of association; criminal libel; restrictions on freedom of movement, political participation, trade unions.

On the role of the police and security Apparatus, the US report said though civilian authorities maintained effective control over military and other security forces and the government had mechanisms to investigate abuses and corruption by them, those were not regularly employed.

The report said the government neither released statistics on total killings by security personnel nor took comprehensive measures to investigate them.

 In regards to the security forces' continued abuses with impunity, it identified lengthy trial procedures, retribution, and police having ties to ruling party men who occupy key positions in law and enforcement agencies.

“Reluctance to bring charges against police also perpetuated a climate of impunity,” it added.

On elections and political participation, the report termed the December parliamentary elections “lop-sided” and said it was considered to be marred by irregularities, including ballot-box stuffing and intimidation of opposition polling agents and voters.

It said the government mobilised law enforcement resources to level civil and criminal charges against opposition party leaders.

The report also highlighted numerous reports of arbitrary or unlawful killings committed by the government or its agents.

It said Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) reported security forces killed more than 400 individuals in crossfire incidents from January through September. Odhikar, another rights body, reported the number to be 415 from January through October.

The anti-narcotics drive in May resulted in an increase of reported extrajudicial killings relative to last year.

Human rights organisations and civil society contended the drive was a government effort to exert increased political control over the populace before the national election.

The report also highlighted claims that the government made limited efforts to prevent or investigate forced disappearances. HRSS stated there were 58 enforced disappearances from January through September. Odhikar said the number was 83 from January to November.

In terms of freedom of expression, it said the government sometimes failed to respect the right.

There were significant limitations on freedom of speech with self-censorship persisting due to harassment and fear of reprisal.

It said both print and online independent media were active and expressed a wide variety of views; however, media outlets that criticised the government experienced negative government pressure.

Civil society said political interference influenced the licensing process, since all television channel licenses granted by the government were for stations supporting the ruling party.

There were also incidents of journalists coming under attack by ruling party loyalists and intelligence men.

Independent journalists alleged intelligence services influenced media outlets in part by withholding financially important government advertising and pressed private companies to withhold their advertising as well.

In September parliament passed the Digital Security Act, claiming it was intended to reduce cybercrimes. Human rights groups, journalists, media outlets, and political opposition parties denounced the DSA as intended to suppress freedom and criminalise free speech.

BNP candidate for Laxmipur-3 constituency Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee today said that he would welcome his party if it takes decision to quit the December 30 national election race.

“I will welcome if the election coordination committee of my party quits the polls as there is no atmosphere for the election in the country,” Anee, also publicity affairs secretary of BNP, told The Daily Star this evening.

He said the ruling party leaders and activists and the members of law enforcement agencies are engaged in carrying out terrorist activities in his electoral area.

“I could not carry out electioneering in my area. Under this situation, I informed my party that I would welcome its decision if it quits the polls,” the BNP leader said.

On Monday, Anee came under attack in Shantirhat area of Laxmipur upazila that left 30 of his followers including three journalists injured, the BNP leader alleged.

“My party men are being attacked. Even their residences are also being vandalised. The returning officer is not picking up my phone call,” he said.

The congenial atmosphere is totally absent in the area for holding the election in a free, fair and credible manner, the BNP leader said.

Anee is contesting the polls against Awami League candidate AKM Shajahan Kamal and Islami Andolon Bangladesh candidate Md Ibrahim.

Bangladesh Bank has suspended all kind of mobile-based financial services (MFS) for temporary basis ahead of the December 30 national election.

All MFS providers have been asked to keep mobile-based financial services suspended from 5:00pm on December 28 to 5:00pm on December 30, the central bank said in a circular today.

However, MFS can allow the individual transaction through mobile account at limited scale up to Tk 5,000 from 5:00pm on December 29 to 5:00pm on December 30, according to the circular.

The decision was taken following the instruction given by the Election Commission, said the circular.

Main opposition BNP today claimed that over 9,200 of its activists were arrested since the declaration of election schedule on November 8.

“Our activists were sued in 806 ghost cases since then,” Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, senior joint secretary of the party, said at a press conference at Nayapaltan.

He claimed, 12,588 activists of BNP and its alliance Jatiya Oikyafront were injured in 2,716 incidents of attacks throughout the country in the last 22 days.

So far, eight opposition activists have been killed in election violence, he added.

“The government is applying all its power to oust BNP and Jatiya Oikyafront from the election,” Rizvi claimed. “Our activists are targeted from rally footages.”