Staff Reporter :
US State Department Spokesperson Mathew Miller said that his government would continue to support free, full, open democracy in Bangladesh.
He further said that the Biden Administration wanted to see free and fair election in Bangladesh.
Mathew Miller came up with the remarks at the press briefing of the State Department on Wednesday.
Drawing his attention to Secretary Blinken’s recent statement, the journalist pointed out that on the occasion of Bangladesh National Day, the Secretary reaffirmed his commitment, strengthening democratic governance and promoting human rights.
Later the journalist asked Mathew Miller what step the Biden administration may take regarding rule of Bangladesh by an authoritarian prime minister and people are suffering due to absence of democracy and the rule of law.
“So I don’t have any specific steps to preview with respect to Bangladesh, but we have made clear since the outset of this administration that the promotion of democracy is one of the top priorities for the President, and Secretary Blinken has said it’s of course one of his top priorities,” Miller said.
He said, “We wanted to see free and fair elections. We will continue to support free, full, open democracy in Bangladesh,” he said.
The US government has been talking about the democracy of Bangladesh for a long time.
The Biden administration organised two summits on democracy, but Bangladesh has not been invited to attend it.
Besides, the US government was much more vocal about the free fair election of Bangladesh.
Even they imposed visa restriction policy for Bangladesh individuals whoever would undermine the democratic process of holding a free and fair election.
The ruling Awami League also make commitment that they would hold a free and fair election so that voters can exercise their franchise and the political parties can take part.
But the government held an one-sided parliamentary election on January 7 as most of the political parties including the major opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) boycotted the election because they demand for a non-partisan caretaker government.
Soon after the government and the Election Commission had said that the election was free and fair sans much election related violence.
But the US government has not yet endorsed the election as free and fair, rather it urged the government to review the violence in the election and criticised the mass arrest of the opposition members ahead of the election.
On March 15, US Ambassador Peter Haas said that the parliamentary election of Bangladesh on January 7 failed to reflect the democratic aspirations of the people of Bangladesh.
He further said that the US government believes democracy is the best way to achieve enduring economic prosperity that serves all of a country’s people.
Haas, however, said that his government would continue would partner with Bangladesh on economic development, climate action, and security cooperation to push for democracy and the respect of human rights.
“The United States still cares deeply about democracy – in Bangladesh and elsewhere. Quite simply, we believe democracy is the best way to achieve enduring economic prosperity that serves all of a country’s people,” he added .
“The US government is committed to see Bangladesh as a democratic country. Contrarily, it said it would work with Bangladesh on multiple areas including free and open Indo-Pacific region,” said Haas.
