14 countries, EU want fair polls in Bangladesh

They issue a joint statement ahead of Human Rights Day

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 6 Dec 2022, 08:00 PM
Updated : 6 Dec 2022, 08:00 PM

Amid the government’s dissatisfaction over “foreign meddling in internal affairs”, as many as 14 countries and the European Union have said they want to see free and fair polls in Bangladesh with the next general election a year away.

They issued a joint statement on Tuesday ahead of Dec 10 Human Rights Day, highlighting “the fundamental role democracy plays in protecting human rights and promoting development”. 

The 14 countries include the US, the UK, Japan, Germany and Canada. The others are Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Australia.

They reaffirmed the importance of all UN member states adhering to their commitments to free expression, peaceful assembly, and elections, among others outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and .

“We support and promote democratic governance as a set of values and principles to follow for meaningful participation, equality, security, and inclusive human and economic development,” the statement said.

“We, as friends and partners of Bangladesh, eager to further support its success, reaffirm the importance of free, fair, inclusive, and peaceful electoral processes in the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”