A/HRC/55/13 53. Afghanistan noted the commitment of Bangladesh towards gender equality and women’s empowerment. 54. Algeria expressed appreciation for the adoption of the National Action Plan to Prevent Violence against Women and Children 2018–2030. 55. Angola welcomed the National Action Plan to End Child Marriage 2018–2030 and gains in poverty reduction. 56. Argentina commended Bangladesh for having improved women’s formal participation in political decision-making processes. 57. Armenia welcomed steps towards poverty elimination, gender equality and women’s empowerment. 58. Australia noted the new Cybersecurity Act, but stressed that such an act should safeguard freedom of expression, and called on Bangladesh to bring perpetrators of cases of disappearance to justice. 59. Azerbaijan noted measures taken to ensure social security and access to health care and education. 60. The Bahamas praised Bangladesh for the progress made with regard to climate-related human rights and for meeting its reporting obligations to the treaty bodies. 61. Bahrain commended Bangladesh for the outstanding developments in its legislative and executive institutions. 62. Barbados commended Bangladesh for its legislative reforms, the National Action Plan to Prevent Violence against Women and Children 2018–2030 and its zero-tolerance approach to drugs and crime. 63. The delegation of Bangladesh, regarding the upcoming general elections, emphasized the Government’s commitment to conducting free, fair and peaceful elections, with the people’s participation, in accordance with the Constitution. The Government had ensured that the Election Commission had the wherewithal and sufficient enforcement powers to enable it to carry out its functions with full independence, credibility and efficiency. Measures taken to strengthen the Election Commission included the enactment of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Appointment Act (2022) and the Parliament Election (Electronic Voting Machine) Rules (2018), and the Conduct Rules for Political Parties and Candidates (2008) and the Election Conduct Rules (2008) had been amended to make elections more fair, inclusive and credible. 64. The demand by the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party for the next general elections to be held under a caretaker government was unconstitutional and illegal. Despite the Government’s efforts to facilitate political activities peacefully, some political parties, particularly the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its allies, had responded with violence against law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, media personnel, civilians and public institutions. The Government’s responses to these actions were minimal, reasonable and restrained, with no arbitrary detention and with arrests only for specific allegations, without political considerations. 65. The delegation noted the conviction of Begum Khaleda Zia, former Chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, on corruption charges, and the ongoing cases from the time of the caretaker Administration in power from 2007 to 2008. The Prime Minister had suspended Ms. Zia’s sentence on account of her health condition, and she was receiving treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka. Since the application had been disposed of on the basis of conditions accepted by Ms. Zia, the law did not allow subsequent amendments or alterations to the same application. 66. Regarding the ratification of conventions and optional protocols, Bangladesh was a State party to eight out of the nine core human rights treaties, the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The decision as to whether to become a party to the remaining core human rights treaty – the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance – was contingent 6 GE.23-24573