THE European Parliament has announced that it will not observe the upcoming national election in Bangladesh. The European Union’s top diplomat in Dhaka indicated that the decision was taken due to “resource constraint”. The statement was issued by MEPs David McAllister and Linda McAvan. The EU Delegation to Bangladesh also issued a similar statement in Dhaka on Thursday.
The European Parliament stated its position on the elections in its resolution of November 15, 2018. It hoped that the December 30 polls would be “peaceful, transparent and participatory so that citizens can express a genuine political choice”. The EP called upon the political forces to refrain from any violence or instigation of violence during the electoral period. The EU last month informed the Bangladesh Election Commission that it would not send its full-fledged election observer mission. It said only two “electoral experts” would be deployed.
Asked why the European Parliament decided not to observe the national election, which would be participated by all political parties, EU Ambassador to Bangladesh Rensje Teerink said the European Parliament sends a very small number of observers only when the EU deploys a fully-fledged observation mission.
However, this is not the first time that the EU had cancelled sending election observer missions to Bangladesh. It did so in 2006 when the election was postponed amidst violence and anarchy, and in 2014 when more than half of the 300 parliamentary seats were won uncontested by candidates amid boycott by major opposition parties, including the BNP. So by itself this situation is not without precedent.
However, this situation signifies that the EU does not consider Bangladesh of enough importance to send anyone to look into the polls, and hence does not care, or it simply wants to look the other way when the elections take place. This is not unusual by itself since it cancelled sending observers in past elections as well, but it does signify the inability or reluctance of the EU to worry about the need for holding free and fair elections in Bangladesh.
And this is worrying. We need, now, more than anything, for the international community at large to worry whether Bangladesh is in fact holding free and fair elections. Now is not the time for the EU to pick up its bags and say goodbye. There is a need for the EU to remain present in the field to observe the poll process and see that all players have a level playing field.
The European Parliament stated its position on the elections in its resolution of November 15, 2018. It hoped that the December 30 polls would be “peaceful, transparent and participatory so that citizens can express a genuine political choice”. The EP called upon the political forces to refrain from any violence or instigation of violence during the electoral period. The EU last month informed the Bangladesh Election Commission that it would not send its full-fledged election observer mission. It said only two “electoral experts” would be deployed.
Asked why the European Parliament decided not to observe the national election, which would be participated by all political parties, EU Ambassador to Bangladesh Rensje Teerink said the European Parliament sends a very small number of observers only when the EU deploys a fully-fledged observation mission.
However, this is not the first time that the EU had cancelled sending election observer missions to Bangladesh. It did so in 2006 when the election was postponed amidst violence and anarchy, and in 2014 when more than half of the 300 parliamentary seats were won uncontested by candidates amid boycott by major opposition parties, including the BNP. So by itself this situation is not without precedent.
However, this situation signifies that the EU does not consider Bangladesh of enough importance to send anyone to look into the polls, and hence does not care, or it simply wants to look the other way when the elections take place. This is not unusual by itself since it cancelled sending observers in past elections as well, but it does signify the inability or reluctance of the EU to worry about the need for holding free and fair elections in Bangladesh.
And this is worrying. We need, now, more than anything, for the international community at large to worry whether Bangladesh is in fact holding free and fair elections. Now is not the time for the EU to pick up its bags and say goodbye. There is a need for the EU to remain present in the field to observe the poll process and see that all players have a level playing field.
