Athens, 10/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 9 January, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton called on all parties in Bangladesh to refrain from violence and to undertake genuine dialogue in order to reach agreement on the mutually acceptable way forward to strengthen democratic accountability and to hold transparent, inclusive and credible elections, after the legislative elections on 5 January. It is reported that over 100 people have been killed in clashes and violence. Ashton strongly condemns the acts of violence which occurred in the run-up to and during the elections and particularly attacks against the “most vulnerable populations, including women and children as well as religious and ethnic minorities”.
According to Ashton's spokesman, Ashton regrets that favourable conditions for “transparent, inclusive and credible elections”, advocated by the EU on several occasions, did not materialise and that the “people of Bangladesh were not given an opportunity to express fully their democratic choice”.
Ashton states she has taken note of the preliminary results and of reports of low turnout which, according to one senior official, reached no more than 22.8% in the capital, Dhaka. The main opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party boycotted the election and called a general strike. The Awami League, the party of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and his allies, took 232 of the 300 seats. The United States has called for a re-run of the ballot. (CG/transl.jl)