Canada has called on all parties to look beyond their immediate political concerns and work cooperatively to focus nationally on Bangladesh’s development and its bright future.
The country came up with the call while issuing a statement to express its reaction over the 10th general elections in Bangladesh on Monday, a day after the polls took place.
In the statement, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird has expressed his extreme disappointment citing that more than half of the country’s parliamentary seats were not contested freely, but instead were filled through acclamation and welcomed initiative to hold new election.
He said: “Canada joins the United States and the European Union in expressing regrets that the major political parties in Bangladesh were unable to negotiate a solution that would have enabled a fully participatory election on January 5, 2014.
It is therefore extremely disappointing that more than half of the country’s parliamentary seats were not contested freely, but instead were filled through acclamation,” he added.
Referring to ruling Awami League’s assurance of holding the 11th general elections, He said: “Canada however welcomes the major parties’ willingness to consider holding a new national election and urges all parties to reach an agreement soon that would allow the next election to be truly participatory, with results that all Bangladeshis will see as credible.”
Canada notes with dismay the violence and controversy that marred the electoral period as hundreds of Bangladeshi citizens were killed in political violence in 2013, he said.
Mentioning that political instability has bred economic instability, he said: “the ongoing violence has caused long-term damage to Bangladesh’s economy and may continue to do so. We fear that this damage has undermined Bangladesh’s economic progress and developmental path.”
“We condemn this violence in the strongest terms, particularly the senseless attacks on the most vulnerable citizens—children, women, and religious and ethnic minorities. Violence as a political strategy is unacceptable. Canada calls on all parties to publicly renounce and condemn political violence,” he further said.
