By Dr. Richard Benkin
BANGLADESH is scheduled to hold its first election, post-coup, next month. (We'll see if that actually happens.) But since the coup, the interim government has been taking the country further away from democratic nations and into the warm embrace of authoritarian China. It also is marching toward becoming an Islamist state and has engaged in terrible actions already, including active participation in the ethnic cleansing of Hindus and other minorities and the strengthening of Islamism and the imposition of Sharia. It also plans to hold elections that ban the party that has garnered by far the most votes in Bangladesh in every election this century, save the first. Elections cannot be free and fair if popular parties are banned and millions of voters are thereby disenfranchised. This is important for the US and the West. Just as enemies are brought down or are in the process of being brought down in Venezuela and Iran; Bangladesh (eight largest country in the world by population and the fourth fastest growing among the top ten) is moving to take their place on the axis of evil. Urge your lawmakers to tell the Bangladeshi government that no one will certify their elections as free and fair until bans of parties are rescinded. (This article appeared today in the Bangladeshi capital.)
https://dailyasianage.com/news/347132/free-elections-impossible-with-parties-banned