Education Research & Development Forum of Bangladesh (ERDFB) has condemned the statement of UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk against the democracy of Bangladesh.

The platform of top-notch researchers and university faculties made a reaction on Tuesday after the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) called upon Bangladesh to create conditions for truly inclusive democracy.

ERDFB President Prof Sazzad Hossain has strongly condemned the OHCHR statement on Bangladesh when the country is set to form a new government with the people’s mandate.

“Bangladesh has proven its strength of democracy through holding the 12th parliamentary election in participation with the majority of registered political parties. All this has happened with the prudent policy of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the administrative infrastructure of the Election Commission. Foreign observers and diplomats have already extended felicitations to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for assuming office for the fourth consecutive term,” Dr Hossain, a member of the University Grants Commission (UGC), said.

OHCHR chief Volker Türk on Monday called on Bangladesh’s newly elected government to take steps to renew the country’s commitment to democracy and human rights amid violence and repression of opposition candidates and supporters.

The statement of Turk seems motivated by the ERDFB, as international observers on Monday described the Bangladesh general election as ‘free, fair and safe’.

In this context, ERDFB, the apex platform of university faculties and researchers, has smelled a rat behind the'motivated and fabricated’ statement of the UN human rights chief.