UN sees credible elections in Bangladesh

Steps taken by Bangladesh's interim government should ensure a fair and credible election on December 29, a senior United Nations official said on Saturday. The parliamentary election is intended to return the country to democracy after two years of emergency rule.
"Our perception is positive that steps taken by the government will ensure a level playing field for a credible election," Francesc Vendrell, head of a UN high-level panel to evaluate the preparation and conduct of the vote, told Reuters in an interview.
An army-backed interim government headed by former central bank governor Fakhruddin Ahmed took power in January 2007, following widespread political violence in the country of more than 140 million people. It imposed a state of emergency which is still in force, launched an anti-corruption drive and has pledged to hold a credible parliamentary election with the participation of all political parties.
"Chances of fair and free elections are much higher than two years ago and we hope Bangladesh will have good elections," said Vendrell. The former UN assistant secretary-general was speaking after a week-long election assessment tour.
He urged all parties to accept the result of the elections. "(But) the winners should not take all and they should also take the opposition in confidence and value their suggestions in governing the country," Vendrell said. The opposition should not boycott parliament and should challenge the government there instead of on the streets, he added.
His three-member UN team met the head of the interim government, leaders of political parties, the army chief and other stakeholders in Bangladesh politics. The election date was reset last week for December 29, 11 days later than originally planned, as one major political group, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia, asked for a delay.
The other key player in the vote is the Awami League, headed by another former prime minister, Sheikh Hasina. Vendrell said he believed the government would lift the state of emergency before the elections but after December 11, the deadline for parties to withdraw candidate nominations. The two main parties have both demanded that the emergency be lifted weeks before the elections to allow smooth campaigning. The government has pledged to lift the emergency ahead of the vote.