EU urged to press Bangladesh on rule of law and democratic standards

Ansar Ahmed Ullah
Contributing Editor,Shottobani

London: A coalition of European and international civil society organisations has called on the European Union and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) to step up diplomatic engagement with Bangladesh over concerns relating to judicial processes, democratic governance and civil liberties.

In a joint letter, the groups emphasised that both the EU and the CPA have long positioned themselves as global defenders of human rights, judicial independence and democratic norms. Against this backdrop, they urged the institutions to use “appropriate diplomatic and institutional channels” to encourage higher standards of accountability and transparency in Bangladesh. The letter sets out a number of specific expectations, including the need for legal proceedings to be conducted in a transparent, impartial and accountable manner. It also stresses the importance of full adherence to due process, including the presumption of innocence. Further concerns raised by the signatories include the protection of parliamentary institutions from political interference, as well as the safeguarding of democratic pluralism, civil liberties and the personal safety of individuals while in custody.

The appeal was jointly issued by the South Asia Democratic Forum, the European Bangladesh Forum, the Working Group Bangladesh in Germany, the Earth Civilisation Network and the Freedom and Justice Alliance, organisations representing a broad spectrum of European and global civil society. In their statement, the signatories said their intervention reflects solidarity with those advocating for justice, accountability and the preservation of democratic institutions in Bangladesh. They added that the matter should be treated with seriousness as part of ongoing international engagement with the country.

The letter is signed by Paulo Casaca, a former Member of the European Parliament and Executive Director of the South Asia Democratic Forum, based in Brussels.