The US Senate has adopted a resolution on Bangladesh, stressing a ‘critical need’ for political dialogue. The first session of the 113th
Congress on Tuesday (Jan 7) adopted the resolution, the details of which have been published on Thursday (Jan 9).
On Dec 18, the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations discussed the resolution submitted a week earlier by Senators Richard Durbin,
Michael B Enzi, Christopher S Murphy, John Boozman and Barbara Boxer.
The resolution dwelt on the situation in Bangladesh prior to the Jan 5 polls as the Upper house of the US Congress has accepted the
resolution more or less as it was forwarded by the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
A Senate Committee meeting on Dec 18, presided by Senator Robert Menendez, had expressed grave concerns over the political deadlock in
Bangladesh.
The resolution in its timeline of Bangladesh stated, starting from its establishment in 1971 after splitting from Pakistan, several military
governments ruled the country till 1990.
It also spoke about political tensions turning to violence, thus undermining the democratic process and also about the postponement of
the Jan 2007 elections after the military intervened amid rising violence and questioning the electoral process’s credibility.
According to the resolution adopted at the US Senate, the ongoing antagonism between the Awami League and the BNP distracts attention
from the important needs of the country.
It, however, praised the growth of the Bangladeshi economy and the plunge in poverty rate.
“… the economy of Bangladesh has grown six percent per year over the last two decades, despite a range of challenges… poverty rate in
Bangladesh dropped from 40 percent to 31 percent between 2005 and 2010–a notable accomplishment in a country in which poverty has been
deep and widespread” reads the resolution.
The war crime trials held by the International Crime Tribunal,however, have “fallen short of international standards”, it says.
Bangladesh has been portrayed as moderate, secular and Muslim-majority democracy in the resolution.
The US Senate expressed its concerns over the deaths and disruptions of studies in schools as well suffering of economy due to the strikes
and blockades by the 18-Party opposition alliance.
It also said that the success of a democratic process in Bangladesh was important for the US and the world and lauded the UN’s initiative
to foster a dialogue between political parties by sending its Assistant Secretary-General Oscar Fernandez-Taranco.
The resolution said that the Bangladeshi government eliminated the constitutional provision requiring the governing party to cede power
to make way for a neutral caretaker government to take charge of the government three months before an election.
Against such backdrops, the resolution forwarded six specific recommendations.
The Senate to condemn political violence in Bangladesh and urge political leaders to engage directly and substantively in a dialogue
toward free, fair, and credible elections.
Urge political leaders in Bangladesh to take immediate steps to rein in and to condemn the violence as well as to provide space for
peaceful political protests.
Express concern about the continued political deadlock in Bangladesh that distracts from the country’s many important challenges.
Urge political leaders in Bangladesh to ensure the safety and access of observers in its upcoming elections.
To support the ongoing efforts by United Nations Assistant Secretary General Oscar Fernandez-Taranco to foster political dialogue between
political parties in Bangladesh; and Urge the Bangladeshi government to ensure judicial independence, end
harassment of human rights activists, and restore the independence of the Grameen Bank.
Bangladesh’s permanent representative to the United Nations AKA Momen, however, said that the resolution did not portray the latest situation
in Bangladesh.
“Situations have changed in Bangladesh since the general elections on Jan 5. This is regrettable that the Senate leaders did not get updates
from the ground before adopting the resolution,” he told bdnews24.com.
