12:00 AM, December 22, 2018 / LAST MODIFIED: 08:12 AM, December 22, 2018

Bangladesh Polls: UN closely observing situation

The United Nations has said it is closely following the situation   ahead of the upcoming general election in Bangladesh scheduled for December 30.

“We are following the situation closely and it is very important as a matter of principle that anywhere there are elections, that they be conducted freely and fairly and that the space be given for people to express themselves,” said Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN secretary-general.

He made the comment on Thursday during the daily press briefing at UN headquarters in New York while responding to a question on free, fair and credible polls in Bangladesh in the context of crackdown on opposition candidates and supporters ahead of the polls.

On December 10, Dujarric made it clear that the UN does not send observers saying, “The UN has no observers. We don't send observers.

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

The UN official added that following a request for UN electoral assistance from the Bangladesh Election Commission, the UN in Bangladesh is providing technical electoral assistance through the UNDP/UN Women's support to the Bangladeshi Parliamentary Election Project.


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