Ban ki-moon for ensuring environment for credible, peaceful polls

Eurobd24news: Voicing concern over the latest wave of deadly violence in Bangladesh, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday urged all parties to ensure an environment conducive to credible and peaceful elections.

The UN chief also called on all concerned to respect the rule of law, exercise restraint and express their views peacefully.

“Ban Ki-moon is concerned about the latest wave of deadly violence in Bangladesh ahead of parliamentary elections due by January. He calls on all concerned to respect the rule of law, exercise restraint and to express their views peacefully,” Ban’s spokesperson said in a statement.

Ban is hopeful that the recent steps to initiate dialogue continue, the spokesperson added, and urges all parties to ensure an environment conducive to credible and peaceful elections.

The latest outbreak of fighting has reportedly killed at least a dozen people and injured many others, it says.

Earlier this year, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Oscar Fernández-Taranco said the South Asian country was witnessing ‘a significant increase’ in the number of violent incidents after more than 30 people died and 60 others were injured in clashes between police and protesters in the capital, Dhaka.

At the time, he called on all stakeholders to work together to create a conducive environment that would allow free, fair, credible, inclusive and non-violent elections to take place.

The general election in Bangladesh is due to be held within 90 days after the expiration of Parliament, which was due to be dissolved last week in accordance with the country’s constitution. That would require elections to be held between now and the end of January 2014.

Category: English News, Scroll_Head_Line