| Project Detail |
The democracy of Bangladesh will be strengthened through a fair, free, inclusive and non-violent election cycle, to which this project contributes by supporting the Bangladesh Election Commission, civil society organisations, media and marginalised communities including women and/or youth groups. The project builds on Switzerland’s democratic principles to foster good governance, at all levels, within electoral processes.
Standing at a highly critical development juncture, Bangladesh, has announced its next national parliamentary election to be held in January 2024. Due to a polarised political environment and a restricted space for expressing diverging opinions, the coming national election might trigger widespread violence and political conflicts, as seen recently in local elections. Another threat to democratic practices is the weaknesses of state institutions, such as the Bangladesh Election Commission, and the autocratic tendencies of the current Government. A poorly managed election cycle carries many risks for Bangladesh and can harm not only the graduation process from the least developed countries category but also the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals 2030. A stable, yet democratic, Bangladesh is important for the security of the region and is in the interests of global powers, such as China, US and India. Thus, promoting democratic values and ensuring inclusive civic participation in the electoral cycle is essential for Bangladesh to sustain its recent development trajectory in a sustainable, inclusive and peaceful way. The project aims to support the Government of Bangladesh and civil society organisations in fostering the integrity of the electoral cycle according to international standard. The project builds on Switzerland’s core tradition of democracy and good governance, alongside its core value of inclusivity, including women, youth, minorities and civil society actors. With its long-standing engagement in good governance in Bangladesh, Switzerland is well positioned and credible to offer such support contributing to fostering peace, justice and more resilient institutions.
Objectives By supporting the Bangladesh Election Commission, civil society organisations, media and marginalised people like women and youth groups, this project contributes to strengthen the political stability of Bangladesh, through inclusive and less violent electoral cycles. |
