Members of European Parliament (MEPs) have been urged to condemn the ongoing political violence across the country, unleashed by supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami activists.
During the last few weeks, Bangladesh has seen an upsurge in violence orchestrated by supporters of BNP in the name of enforcing hartal and blockade to press their anti-constitutional demand of holding the upcoming national election under caretaker government. They have raised the demand in a bid to sabotage the election that they are unlikely to win.
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In this context, UK-based Bangladeshi think tank Study Circle London briefed the MEPs on November 9, urging them to condemn the political violence that has emerged as a threat to the continuation of the democratic process in the country, reports UK-based news agency eureporter.co
At the briefing in the European Parliament titled “Democracy and Human Rights in Bangladesh”, MEPs and their aides were addressed by Syed Mozammel Ali, chair of Study Circle London.
Excerpts of the Briefing
On October 28, deliberately ignoring the sanction of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, BNP organised a rally in front of the party’s Naya Paltan central office in the capital. Considering that such public demonstrations of support for any political party is a normal part of democracy, the police did not interfere to stop the rally. However, the BNP rally turned into a riot after hundreds of BNP leaders and activists all of a sudden started attacking the on-duty law enforcing personnel, followed by widespread arson attacks and vandalism.
During BNP men’s attack on police, at least one police officer, constable Aminul Parvez, was brutally beaten to death while many others were severely injured. They also vandalised the residence of the chief justice which was adjacent to the venue where BNP rally was held.
Subsequently there have been further incidents of violence in several cities, with more attacks on the police, public vehicles set on fire and other acts of vandalism as BNP resorted to widespread political violence in the name of enforcing countrywide blockade since October 28.
The briefing was hosted by Tomáš Zdechovsky, a Czech MEP from the European People’s Party. He called for a constructive dialogue and cooperation with Bangladesh, arguing that it would be far more productive than constant criticism.
He praised Bangladesh’s remarkable growth and the stability it had achieved after 50 years of independence.
“Bangladesh often faces unfair criticism”
Syed Mozammel Ali described these developments as reminiscent of the state of terror that the BNP and its allies unleashed before the 2014 and 2018 elections.
He urged MEPs to condemn the violence and to support democracy in Bangladesh. “The Awami League has been in power for 14 years through winning elections and it’s likely to do so again thanks to the unprecedented economic growth that has transformed the prosperity of the country,” he said.
The think tank chair said, “Western decision makers should assist Bangladesh, instead of criticising harshly which would push the secular state into the hands of the Islamic fundamentalists. Bangladesh often faces unfair criticism and negative publicity from those in Europe who based their information on unreliable sources.”
MEPs urged not to treat Bangladesh as in colonial days
Eminent international lawyer Dr Rayan Rashid described his homeland as a democracy where the fundamental rights of all citizens are enshrined in the constitution. It is a country where the political battlelines date back to the struggles before independence, although it had taken great strides forward.
Like all other countries it had experienced setbacks as well but what he regarded as “cherry picking” its flaws was tantamount to spreading disinformation.
At the briefing, leading constitutional expert Dr Mizanur Rahman said, “I urge the MEPs to never treat us as in colonial days. Europe should be a source of help and friendship for Bangladesh but be aware of how outside pressure interacts with what happens inside the country. There should be no new colonialism.”
Conclusion
In the wake of increasing political turmoil in Bangladesh, the European Parliament is called upon to condemn the alarming surge in violence orchestrated by supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami activists. The call for condemnation is not only a plea for international support but a vital step towards safeguarding the democratic principles that Bangladesh has strived to uphold. As the nation grapples with unrest, a constructive dialogue and cooperation, as advocated by Czech MEP Tomáš Zdechovsky, are deemed essential for a productive path forward. The plea resonates with the sentiment that Europe’s role should be one of assistance and friendship rather than perpetuating unfair criticism or inadvertently contributing to new forms of colonialism.
