Apparently, in response to the recent call of the international community to ensure a free and fair election and to protect human rights, two ministers of Bangladesh on Sunday reiterated their government’s commitment in this regard.
At a seminar organised at Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka to observe International Human Rights Day, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and Law Minister Anisul Huq made it clear that the government is committed to strengthening democracy through holding a free and fair election and protecting and promoting human rights.
“The government is committed to taking all steps to take forward the democratic process and to hold the next parliamentary election in a free, fair, transparent, participatory manner, and under the full control of the independent election commission as per the constitution of Bangladesh,” the foreign minister told the audience comprising the envoys of the US, UK, EU and some other countries.
The minister said the election commission has successfully concluded the local government elections recently with strong participation of all political parties and people with huge enthusiasms.
“Bangladesh Awami League and this government rely solely on the will of the people and no external interference or internal conspiracy can derail us from this undertaking,” he added.
The foreign minister also pointed out that the promotion and protection of all forms of human rights for people is the government’s constitutional obligation.
Momen noted that all democracies have weaknesses and a recent presidential poll in the US was termed as flawed by a large number of Americans despite having a 250-year-long democracy.
Addressing the meeting as the chief guest, the law minister said, “The future of Bangladesh will be determined by the people who have a free and fair electoral process.”
“As elected representatives of the people, the government listens to the people first, understands the narratives, and then takes steps to solve the problem. That is our obligation to the people, but surely not to be construed as our weakness,” he added.
“I would humbly but firmly state that our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government remain committed to establishing the high ideals of national socialism, democracy and secularism and make sure that the wishes of our people are reflected in every sphere of life in Bangladesh,” he said.
Referring to the recent joint statement issued by 15 diplomatic missions in Dhaka, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam said, “Democratic principles and values are at the core of the statehood and ethos of Bangladesh.”
“Our leader Sheikh Hasina will not bend down to any external pressure to derail the nation from its constitutional path towards democracy and fundamental freedom,” he said adding that the source of her government’s power is the mass people of this country, and the people will determine who will rule this nation.
“Neither any external power nor any internal conspiracy will be able to determine this. We will never give up our fight to protect the democracy, human dignity and fundamental freedom on this soil.”
He urged the concerned foreign missions in Dhaka to abide by diplomatic norms and etiquette that ‘they expect from foreign missions in their country to practise.’
“Government of Bangladesh is patient and cordial to our foreign guests and is sincerely willing to maintain friendly relations with all nations, but we do have some red lines,” the state minister reminded.
