Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Saturday said that Commonwealth secretary general Patricia Scotland's Friday call missed many crucial issues surrounding the upcoming farcical 7 January election and did not reflect the ground reality in Bangladesh.
On Friday, The Commonwealth Secretary General (SG) in a press release called on all political and civic leaders in Bangladesh to contribute to a “conducive environment for citizens to peacefully exercise their right to vote” on 7 January.
BNP said that the SG’s call shocked the democracy loving people of Bangladesh who have been disenfranchised by the regime over more than a decade.
“We believe her statement contradicts the desires and aspirations of the pro democracy Bangladeshis who have been striving for a free, fair, inclusive and credible election for more than a decade,” the party said in a press release signed by its Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.
BNP also said, “The SG Scotland must be aware of the fact that the upcoming election is being boycotted by all the major pro-democracy political parties in Bangladesh. Only the ruling party chosen dummy/independent candidates and fake oppositions with ruling party blessings are made to participate in the election. Since the election result is already pre-determined and the people have no real options to choose from among genuine contenders, there is no congenial environment and level playing field, the voters have also rejected the one-sided polls.”
It also claimed that more than 27000 opposition dissidents including BNP Secretary General and its top leaders languished in the prison upon fictitious charges. Scores of people have been killed, tortured and died in police custody.
“The people of Bangladesh acknowledge the Commonwealth’s commitment to democracy, human rights, and freedom of expression. If the SG genuinely wants to echo the sentiments of the people of Bangladesh, as she mentioned in her statement, the people expect her to play a proactive role for realization of the people’s right to vote under a neutral government and administration,” the party said in the press release.
The press release also notes that the Secretary General’s statement tends to support renewal of the current autocratic regime through a highly fraudulent election that goes against the aspirations of the people of Bangladesh for restoration of democracy through a genuine inclusive and credible election.
“We expect that SG Scotland understands that the pro-democracy people, civil society, and political parties want the Commonwealth to side with the people of Bangladesh and not with the current autocratic regime. As the people of Bangladesh strive for restoration of their voting rights and fundamental liberties, the support of the Commonwealth will be highly appreciated,” it reads.