The United States has declared that Bangladesh's parliamentary election lacked freedom and fairness, with the UK noting that credible and fair competition standards were inconsistently met during the election period. Both countries condemned acts of intimidation and violence before and during the election campaign and expressed regret over the non-participation of all political parties.
The US, while acknowledging the Awami League's majority win, voiced concerns about the arrests of thousands of political opposition members and reported irregularities on election day. The US urged the government to investigate violence reports credibly and hold perpetrators accountable, emphasizing the commitment to partnering with Bangladesh for a free and open Indo-Pacific, human rights, and civil society support.
The UK underscored the importance of credible, open, and fair competition for democratic elections, noting that these standards were not consistently met during the election period. They expressed concern about opposition party arrests, condemned acts of intimidation and violence, and encouraged all political parties to address differences for the people's interest.
The European Union called on Bangladesh authorities to ensure a timely and thorough investigation into reported election irregularities, welcoming the public release of the EU Election Expert Mission's upcoming report. The EU regretted the non-participation of major parties in the polls, condemned election-related violence, urged respect for the rule of law, and expressed concern about the detention of opposition figures. They encouraged stakeholders to respect political pluralism, democratic values, and human rights standards.
EU High Representative Josep Borrell emphasized the EU's commitment to working with the Bangladesh government on longstanding relations across political, human rights, trade, and development aspects. The EU stressed the importance of media, civil society, and political parties operating without censorship or fear of reprisals.
