Whereas March 26 is the anniversary of
Bangladesh’s independence;
Whereas the Constitution of Bangladesh, ratified in 1972
following a war of independence, established a democracy ruled by and for the
people of Bangladesh;
Whereas Bangladesh has a population of approximately
160,000,000 people, is the world's fourth most populated Muslim country, and is
a moderate and democratic Muslim nation;
Whereas before elections in December 2008, Bangladesh held
what the international community viewed as three free and fair elections in
1991, 1996, and 2001, respectively;
Whereas in October 2006, power was handed over to a
caretaker government before the January 22, 2007, scheduled election and the
caretaker government subsequently imposed a state of emergency on January 11,
2007;
Whereas the United States House of Representatives passed
a resolution in September 2008 calling for the return of democracy in
Bangladesh;
Whereas the caretaker government of Bangladesh returned
the country to democracy through an election held on December 29, 2008;
Whereas the December 29, 2008, election was monitored by
numerous international election observers that declared the election
credible;
Whereas the United States Department of
State welcomed the success of Bangladesh’s parliamentary
elections
and congratulated the Bangladesh Election Commission
and the thousands of government officials involved in organizing this
successful election
;
Whereas the Awami League, led by former Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina Wajed, won over two-thirds of the 300 seats in Parliament and
formed a new government in January 2009;
Whereas President Barack Obama awarded Muhammad Yunus the
Presidential Medal of Freedom in August 2009;
Whereas the United States Agency for International
Development reports that 49 percent of Bangladeshis live below the poverty
line;
Whereas Bangladesh’s economy grew at an estimated rate of
5.7 percent in 2009;
Whereas the Anti-Corruption Commission in Bangladesh has
commenced serious efforts to address corruption; and
Whereas Bangladesh's long-term political stability and
economic progress are critical to the security of the South Asian region: Now,
therefore, be it
That the House of
Representatives—
(1)expresses its strong support for the people
of Bangladesh;
(2)encourages the
strengthening and consolidation of democracy in Bangladesh one year after the
election;
(3)urges the Government of Bangladesh to work
together with all political leaders to continue and deepen
reconciliation;
(4)appreciates the
Government of Bangladesh for making progress in meeting the selection criteria
of the Millennium Challenge Corporation;
(5)urges the
Government of Bangladesh to protect the rights of religious and ethnic
minorities in Bangladesh, including the Hindus, Christians, Buddhists, Ahmadis,
and non-Muslim tribal peoples;
(6)urges the
Anti-Corruption Commission in Bangladesh to continue its efforts to eradicate
corruption;
(7)urges the
Secretary of State to coordinate with Bangladesh on matters pertaining to
security, economic progress, and human rights in South Asia; and
(8)encourages the
Secretary of State and the Administrator of the United States Agency for
International Development to continue supporting the building of a strong civil
society and eradicating poverty in Bangladesh.
Lorraine C. Miller,
Clerk.