POLITICAL SITUATION IN BANGLADESH

That this House notes that a number of leading members of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party have been arrested recently; further notes that the home of the leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Begum Khaleda Zia, has been surrounded by security forces, making it very difficult if not impossible for leading members of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party to meet and consult with her; further notes that these actions follow the demand by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party that the incumbent government should hand over to a caretaker government that will command the confidence of all principal parties which will then preside over the forthcoming general election; fears that the political situation is deteriorating in Bangladesh which will be potentially disastrous for the country; and therefore urges the Government to ask the current government of Bangladesh to respect basic human rights in Bangladesh and to negotiate with all the principal opposition parties to arrive at a process for the forthcoming general election which will be acceptable to and which will have the necessary credibility with all the principal political parties in Bangladesh.