Distinguished Professor Ali Riaz has said that Bangladesh’s upcoming parliamentary election is drawing attention of international community.

In a commentary published in the Daily Star, Riaz writes there are indications that unlike a few months ago when the international community seemed to have accepted the political trajectory as fait accompli and the election results as a foregone conclusion, there is a growing sense that it has a role to play.

He referred to the statement of the heads of the diplomatic missions of the European Union, Norway and Sweden in Dhaka calling to “ensure a genuine, credible, inclusive and transparent electoral process” in the upcoming parliamentary election.

Riaz mentions that two resolutions have been proposed in the U.S. House of Representatives recently, the U.S. House Commission on Human Rights held a hearing on Bangladesh on November 15. Besides, several members of the European Parliament expressed concerns on the state of human rights in a discussion in the European Parliament on November 15 and stated that “the coming election in Bangladesh poses as the country’s last chance to determine the course of its democracy and rule of law.”

Parliamentary election in Bangladesh is scheduled on December 30.