An Election Cannot Be Called Democratic Without All Parties

Four British Members of Parliament have called for Bangladesh’s upcoming parliamentary election to be inclusive.

They said that no election can be described as “democratic” if all political parties do not participate.

The four MPs from the House of Commons are—Bob Blackman, Jim Shannon, Jas Athwal, and Chris Law.

In a statement, they said that Bangladesh stands at a critical juncture as it awaits the election scheduled for February.

“Every person with a sense of moral responsibility hopes that this election will contribute to building a just, stable, and prosperous Bangladesh. However, that will only be possible if the election is inclusive and is seen as neutral by international observers.”

After being ousted from power in the July uprising, all activities of the Awami League were banned in May last year. In the same month, its registration as a political party was also suspended.

Referring to this development, the four British MPs said in the statement, “We are concerned that political parties with widespread public support are currently under bans. In this case, advice from the United Nations as well as long-standing friends of the United Kingdom and Bangladesh has been ignored.

“If a free, fair, and inclusive election is not held, millions of ordinary citizens of Bangladesh will be deprived of their voting rights and will not go to vote at all.”

The statement said, “No election held without the participation of all major political parties can be called democratic. Imposing such restrictions on Bangladeshi voters was not appropriate for the interim government led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus, who themselves are unelected.”

Describing Bangladesh’s politics as ‘deeply polarized’ for a long time, the four British MPs said, “All political parties in Bangladesh bear some responsibility for this. But to establish national unity and revive stalled economic development, any future government must govern the country based on the consent of the people.

“Through this election, a culture of political pluralism must be built in Bangladesh, where opposition parties can play a constructive role.”

Describing the United Kingdom as “one of Bangladesh’s closest partners,” they said, “Credible reports of politically motivated detentions, structural failures in the justice system, and the arbitrary arrest of journalists have deeply concerned us.

“We call on the British government as well as international organizations such as the United Nations to ensure that Dr. Yunus upholds his commitment to democratic principles, protects the civil rights of all citizens of Bangladesh, and ensures a free, fair, and inclusive election.”