Senior Foreign Office Minister of UK Baroness Warsi has urged the new government and all political parties of Bangladesh to act in line with the interests of the people. Commenting on the results of 10th Parliamentary elections in Bangladesh, she said: “We therefore urge the new government and all political parties to act in line with the interests of the people of Bangladesh. Bangladesh is an important partner for the UK and we continue to support its people in their aspirations for a more stable, prosperous, and democratic future.”
“We deplore the acts of intimidation and unlawful violence from all parties that have taken place in recent weeks and the arson attacks on public buildings, including schools and colleges, which have been reported over the weekend. We are deeply concerned at the deaths of so many people, political harassment and the heightened political tensions which underlie them.
All Bangladesh’s political parties share a clear and unequivocal responsibility to work together to strengthen democratic accountability as an urgent priority and to build the willingness and capacity to hold future participatory elections without the fear of intimidation or reprisals,” she noted.
She said: “We note the announcement of the results of the 10th Parliamentary Elections in Bangladesh; an election called in accordance with Bangladesh’s Constitution.” “Like others in the International Community,the UK believes that the true mark of a mature, functioning democracy is peaceful, credible election that expresses the genuine will of the voters. It is, therefore, disappointing that voters in more than half the constituencies did not have the opportunity to express their will at the ballot box and that turnout in most other constituencies was low.