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European Parliament condemns the repeated bomb attacks in Bangladesh

A resolution on Bangladesh adopted by 92-2 votes

The European Parliament in a resolution has condemned the repeated bomb attacks in Bangladesh. The resolution was adopted by 92-2 votes on Thursday (14 April, 2005). It urged the Government of Bangladesh to ensure that international investigators assisting Bangladesh's intelligence forces will have full access to all evidence regarding the attacks in accordance with the government's own promises.

The resolution further urged the Government of Bangladesh, in particular, to put an end to the anti-crime operations by the paramilitary forces RAB (Rapid Action Battalion), which come down to extrajudicial killings.

A press release from European Parliament says By 92 votes in favour to 2 against with 3 abstentions, Parliament adopted a resolution on Bangladesh, in which it condemns the repeated bomb attacks and urges the Government of Bangladesh to ensure that international investigators assisting Bangladesh's intelligence forces will have full access to all evidence regarding the attacks in accordance with the government's own promises, and urges the Government of Bangladesh to publish the investigation report in full.

It urges the Government of Bangladesh to respect the instructions given by its High Court to avoid abuse of legal instruments in detaining opposition demonstrators and to refrain from repressing peaceful political protests through means of detention and torture.

MEPs further urge the Government of Bangladesh, in particular, to put an end to the anti-crime operations by the paramilitary forces RAB (Rapid Action Battalion), which come down to extrajudicial killings; points out that the reputed human rights organisation ODHIKAR has stated that there were 90 publicly reported custodial deaths due to torture in 2004.

They encourage the Government of Bangladesh to enable the population to participate in traditional cultural events and to provide security measures in order that these events, which reflect a tradition of tolerance and secularism can be implemented safely.

Parliament also calls for the Government of Bangladesh to take preventive steps against Muslim paramilitary groups which have spread violence and intimidation in rural areas of Bangladesh.

MEPs reiterate their its support for the demand that those known to have participated in the massacre of Bangladeshi citizens and other war crimes during the Bangladeshi liberation war of 1971 be brought to trial. They consider that, in view of the parliamentary elections scheduled for late 2006/early 2007, systemic reforms are necessary in order to re-establish the principles of good governance, so that the election commission and the caretaker government can operate independently.

They say a coordinated approach by all donors worldwide will be necessary to support such reforms. Parliament calls on all sides to refrain from undemocratic practices and to enter into an all-party dialogue through full participation in the democratic process in parliament; calls, in particular, on the opposition parties to end the boycott of parliamentary activity, since agitation and violence cause suffering to the people of Bangladesh.

The House expresses its support for the principled steps which EU representatives have taken during the last year in defense of the rights of religious minorities in Bangladesh, such as their physical presence at a complex of the Ahmadiyya Muslims, in October 2004, when fundamentalists had prepared to stage a mass assault on the complex.

It calls on the Council to review the application of the human rights and democracy clause of the EU-Bangladesh Cooperation Agreement and to ascertain whether the Government of Bangladesh is making sufficiently strong efforts to fundamentally improve the human rights situation.

Finally, Parliament notes recent modest steps taken by the Government of Bangladesh to improve the political situation in the country, will encourage the Government of Bangladesh to establish a situation respectful of law and order and will support any substantial progress on issues like good governance, freedom of press, the fight against corruption and respect for human rights.

Source: European Parliament website