The European parliament,

–   having regard to its previous resolutions on Bangladesh,

–   having regard to the EU-Bangladesh Cooperation Agreement,

–   having regard to the mounting criticism of numerous and worsening abuses of human rights by official forces and fundamentalist religious organisations expressed by the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations in February 2005 (E/CN.4/2005/NGO/32), the U.S. Department of State also in February 2005 (Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Bangladesh 2004) and Amnesty International (for example Urgent Action 061/2005),

- having regard to the Declaration by the Presidency on behalf of the EU on the attack in Habiganj, Bangladesh, on 29 January 2005

A.   whereas bomb attacks by paramilitary Muslim organizations, culminating in the killing of former finance minister Shah AMS Kibria in a grenade attack on a political rally in north-eastern Bangladesh in January 2005, have become a regular threat to prominent politicians of the opposition, journalists and authors in Bangladesh,

B.    whereas those fundamentalists also commit widespread intimidation, impositions of death threads (as on 12 March 2005 against the journalists Samaresh Baidya, Zubair Siddiqui and Sumi Khan), violations of political opponents (for example Awami League's voters and party workers) as well as members of religious and racial minorities (such as moderate Ahmadiyya Muslims and minority Hindus) in order to create an angst-ridden atmosphere in Bangladesh,

C.   whereas the authorities are not able or willing to fight effectively against those Muslim fundamentalists, responsible for the rising level of crime in general and bomb attacks in particular,

D.  whereas local authorities have been reported to collaborate with the paramilitary Muslim organisations in the harassment of political, religious and racial minorities,

E.  whereas opposition and minority activists have been arrested and detained incommunicado, many have been reportedly tortured during detention and interrogation - especially by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), a newly created police unit; whereas reputed human rights organisation Odhikar stated that there were 90 publicly reported custodial deaths due to torture in Bangladesh in 2004,

F.   emphasizing that the EU-Bangladesh Cooperation Agreement is based on respect for human rights and democratic principles, and that the violation of Article 1 is a breach that can lead to suspension of the Agreement,

G.   whereas the Commission must ensure that the human rights situation in Bangladesh is monitored and that the European Parliament is kept informed of it,

H.   underlining that Bangladesh has obligations under international law as a State party to both the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the United Nations Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, but has yet not passed any enabling legislation.

1    Expresses its deep concern about the fact that the situation of minorities, especially Hindus, has not improved since the elections of 1 October 2001;

2.  Is alarmed at the ongoing Islamic radicalisation in the country;

3    Strictly condemns the deteriorating situation of human rights in Bangladesh through bomb attacks, arbitrary arrests, detention and torture committed by paramilitary Muslim fundamentalists as well as official authorities;

4    Calls on the government and the jurisdiction to act immediately by tracking and punishing all cases of human rights violations;

5.  Demands the immediate stop of attacks and harassment of opposition and minority activists by official authorities as well as strong measures against fundamentalist groups to force them to cease widespread intimidation, bomb attacks, death threads, violations of political opponents, religious and racial minorities;

6    Requests the Government of Bangladesh to protect human rights and to pass enabling legislation to fulfil its obligations under international law, as well as to introduce democratic principles in all areas;

7.  Calls on the Council to review the application of the Human Rights and Democracy clause of the EU / Bangladesh Cooperation Agreement and to ascertain whether the Government of Bangladesh is satisfactorily showing strong efforts to fundamentally improve the human rights situation;

8    Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the Parliament and Government of Bangladesh.