Strasbourg, 23/01/2001 (Agence Europe) - By adopting a resolution tabled by its Development Committee on Bangladesh, the EP calls on the country's authorities to refrain from any act of provocation, repression or intimidation towards politicians and on the opposition to again take part in parliamentary sessions and not get involved in potentially violent extra-parliamentary activities. The EP urges all political parties to take advantage of the approach of the legislative elections to engage in a responsible political debate, and comes down in favour of the sending of EU observers for these elections. In addition, it calls for measures to be taken to strengthen democracy, and the respect of human rights, and for improved working conditions, and welcomes efforts made over the past few years to combat child labour, but observes that much remains to be done. Finally, the EP calls on the Bangladeshi Government for significant measures aimed at improving the situation of the population deprived of land, and places emphasis on the need to implement the 1987 "Paper on property ownership", which recommends that each man and woman should be handed half a hectare of land, thereby respecting the right of women to own property (272 in favour, 164 against and 24 abstentions).