The European Parliament adopted by 93 votes to 2, with 3 abstentions, a resolution on Human Rights in Bangladesh.

The text adopted in plenary had been tabled as a joint resolution by the EPP-ED, PES, ALDE, Greens/EFA, GUE/NGL and UEN groups.

Parliament condemns the repeated bomb attacks in this country and urges the Government of Bangladesh to ensure that international investigators assisting Bangladesh's intelligence forces will have full access to all evidence regarding the attacks.

It also calls on the Government of Bangladesh to:

avoid abuse of legal instruments in detaining opposition demonstrators and to refrain from repressing peaceful political protests through means of detention and torture; put an end to the anti-crime operations by the paramilitary forces RAB (Rapid Action Battalion); enable the population to participate in traditional cultural events and to provide security measures in order that these events, which reflect a tradition of tolerance and secularism, can take place safely; take preventive steps against Muslim paramilitary groups, which have spread violence and intimidation in rural areas of Bangladesh.

Parliament also reiterates its support for the demand that those known to have participated in the massacre of Bangladeshi citizens and other war crimes during the Bangladeshi liberation war of 1971 be brought to trial.

Moreover, Parliament considers that, with a view to the parliamentary elections scheduled for late 2006/early 2007, systemic reforms are necessary in order to re-establish the principles of good governance, so that the election commission and the caretaker government can operate independently.

Parliament expresses its support for the principled steps which EU representatives have taken during the last year in defence of the rights of religious minorities in Bangladesh as well as the recent modest steps taken by the Government of Bangladesh to improve the political situation in the country.

Lastly, Parliament calls on the Council to review the application of the human rights and democracy clause of the EC-Bangladesh Cooperation Agreement and to ascertain whether the Government of Bangladesh is making sufficiently strong efforts to fundamentally improve the human rights situation.

T6-0136/2005
OJ C 033 09.02.2006, p. 0501-0594 E

Results of vote in Parliament

Debate in Parliament

The European Parliament adopted by 93 votes to 2, with 3 abstentions, a resolution on Human Rights in Bangladesh.

The text adopted in plenary had been tabled as a joint resolution by the EPP-ED, PES, ALDE, Greens/EFA, GUE/NGL and UEN groups.

Parliament condemns the repeated bomb attacks in this country and urges the Government of Bangladesh to ensure that international investigators assisting Bangladesh's intelligence forces will have full access to all evidence regarding the attacks.

It also calls on the Government of Bangladesh to:

avoid abuse of legal instruments in detaining opposition demonstrators and to refrain from repressing peaceful political protests through means of detention and torture; put an end to the anti-crime operations by the paramilitary forces RAB (Rapid Action Battalion); enable the population to participate in traditional cultural events and to provide security measures in order that these events, which reflect a tradition of tolerance and secularism, can take place safely; take preventive steps against Muslim paramilitary groups, which have spread violence and intimidation in rural areas of Bangladesh.

Parliament also reiterates its support for the demand that those known to have participated in the massacre of Bangladeshi citizens and other war crimes during the Bangladeshi liberation war of 1971 be brought to trial.

Moreover, Parliament considers that, with a view to the parliamentary elections scheduled for late 2006/early 2007, systemic reforms are necessary in order to re-establish the principles of good governance, so that the election commission and the caretaker government can operate independently.

Parliament expresses its support for the principled steps which EU representatives have taken during the last year in defence of the rights of religious minorities in Bangladesh as well as the recent modest steps taken by the Government of Bangladesh to improve the political situation in the country.

Lastly, Parliament calls on the Council to review the application of the human rights and democracy clause of the EC-Bangladesh Cooperation Agreement and to ascertain whether the Government of Bangladesh is making sufficiently strong efforts to fundamentally improve the human rights situation.

T6-0136/2005

B6-0252/2005

B6-0256/2005

B6-0265/2005

B6-0266/2005

B6-0268/2005

B6-0270/2005

RC-B6-0252/2005