United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Thursday urged all stakeholders to ensure a violence-free environment for a peaceful, credible and inclusive election.
“The Secretary-General in the run-up to the 30 December general elections in Bangladesh calls on all stakeholders to ensure an environment free of violence, intimidation and coercion before, during and after the elections, so as to enable a peaceful, credible and inclusive poll,” he said in a statement attributable to his Spokesman Stephane Dujarric.
All Bangladeshi citizens, including minorities and women, must feel safe and confident in exercising their right to vote, read the statement.
“Civil society and electoral observers should be fully supported to play their role in the process,” it added. The Secretary-General reiterated the continued commitment of the United Nations to support a peaceful and democratic Bangladesh.-BSS
bbarta/IF
