Bangladesh polls were not credible, open or fair, says UK

Though a section of election observers have stated they are satisfied by the 12th national parliamentary election, the UK says the Jan 7 polls failed to meet the standards required of a democracy.

However, the country’s foreign office said in a statement on Monday that it shared a ‘deep and historic friendship’ with Bangladesh and would continue to support a process that would create conditions for sustainable political settlement and active civil society.

“Democratic elections depend on credible, open, and fair competition,” it said.

“Respect for human rights, rule of law and due process are essential elements of the democratic process. These standards were not consistently met during the election period. We are concerned at the significant number of arrests of opposition party members before polling day.”

The statement also condemned intimidation and violence that occurred prior to and during the campaign, saying it had no place in politics.

The BNP, its allies, and several left-leaning parties boycotted the polls in which the Awami League won a fourth straight term in power by taking 222 seats. Independent candidates, most of whom had ties to Awami League politics, took 62 seats.

The Jatiya Party, the opposition in the past two parliaments, only won 11 seats.

The result for the Mymensingh-3 (Gouripur) race was suspended after the returning officer suspended a polling centre in the constituency. The Awami League nominee is leading in the seat.

The UK noted the boycott by many opposition parties.

“Not all political parties took part in the elections. The Bangladeshi people did not therefore have the fullest range of voting options.”

However, the foreign office said it would continue to encourage all political parties to chart a path forward together.

“The United Kingdom and Bangladesh share a deep and historic friendship. Creating the conditions for a sustainable political settlement and vibrant civil society will enable long-term growth. We encourage all political parties to address their differences and find a common way forward in the interests of the people of Bangladesh. We will continue to support this process.”