The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)'s 14 member countries have urged the Bangladesh Election Commission to create an environment to ensure a participatory and violence-free general election.
Envoys of the 14 countries including the USA, the UK, the EU, Germany, Japan, Canada, Turkey, Denmark, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Norway, Netherlands and France in Dhaka met the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and other officials of the EC in the city on Sunday.
They made the call during the meeting.
The OECD wants to see participatory and violence-free election and hopes that the EC will take due steps in this regard, Swiss Ambassador in Dhaka Nathalie Chuard told journalists after the one-and-a-half-hour long meeting.
The OECD is ready to provide any kind of assistance to the EC in this regard, she mentioned.
The OECD also urges the authorities create an environment so that media and civil society can play an active role for holding a free and fair election, she added.
Later, CEC Kazi Habibul Awal told the media that the EC also wants to hold a free and participatory election.
"They (envoys of OECD member countries) met us as per tradition. They wanted to know about our preparations and electoral rules" he said.
"They said they will be happy to see an inclusive and fair election and we told them that we shall do whatever necessary to hold a fair and credible election," the CEC added.
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