The European Parliament,

-  having regard to its previous resolutions on Bangladesh,

-  having regard to the Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and the People's Republic of Bangladesh on Partnership and Development,

-  having regard to Rule 115(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.  whereas the EU has good, long-standing relations with Bangladesh, including through the Cooperation Agreement on Partnership and Development,

B.  whereas over the past weeks thousands of people have been arrested in Bangladesh, including local-level political party leaders and activists,

C.  whereas the EU Election Observation Mission suspended its operations on 22 January 2007,

D.  whereas the Bangladeshi Government has subsequently announced that general elections will be held by the end of 2008,

1.  Is concerned about the recent arrests of thousands of people in Bangladesh; calls on the Bangladeshi authorities to either charge them on the basis of credible evidence of criminal activities or release them;

2.  Welcomes the recent release of Sheikh Hasina on humanitarian grounds and asks for similar treatment for Begum Khaled Zia;

3.  Urges the lifting of the state of emergency and the full restoration of civil and political rights to the people of Bangladesh;

4.  Calls for the withdrawal of the armed forces from involvement with the political process;   

5.  Welcomes the drawing up of an accurate electoral register by the Bangladeshi authorities;

6.  Is concerned about press censorship in the pre-electoral period in Bangladesh;

7.  Calls for rapid, free and fair elections conducted in accordance with international standards, with the participation of all parties; calls for the EU Election Observation Mission to resume its activities as soon as this is feasible and advisable;

8.  Calls on EU Member State Missions and the Commission Delegation in Bangladesh to monitor carefully the human rights and political situation in Bangladesh;

9.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Caretaker Government of Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Election Commission and the Secretary-General of the United Nations.