Bangladesh’s foreign ministry on Wednesday summoned 13 Western ambassadors after they issued a joint statement against an attack on an independent candidate during a recently-held parliamentary by-election.
The envoys, including from the United States, Britain, France and the European Union, had condemned a July 17 attack on Ashraful Alom, an independent who stood against the winning ruling Awami League (AL) party candidate in the capital Dhaka.
Alom, an actor and social media star also known as Hero Alom, was beaten in an attack in a polling centre in Banani in Dhaka. His party has alleged that the physical assault was carried out by supporters of the ruling party.
The 13 diplomats, also including envoys from Canada, Germany, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland, issued a joint statement warning that “violence has no place in the democratic process”.
They also called for a full investigation and accountability to be brought against the perpetrators.
Western governments have expressed concern over the political climate in Bangladesh, where Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s party has dominated for the past decade.
Source from www.aljazeera.com
