‘Future of BD to be decided by its people’
Staff Reporter :
The United States has stated that the future of Bangladesh lies in the hands of its people, amid growing international concern over alleged extremism and political tension in the country.
At a regular US State Department press briefing on Tuesday, spokesperson Tammy Bruce addressed a wide range of issues related to Bangladesh following a journalist’s question referencing recent reports of vandalism in the capital.
The journalist cited a New York Times report and described disturbing scenes from recent protests in Dhaka, where demonstrators were seen holding images of Osama bin Laden and Nazi symbols.
The question also highlighted the targeting of American brands such as KFC and Coca-Cola in what were described as anti-Semitic protests, and alleged involvement of advisors close to the interim regime.
Bruce responded, “I appreciate your passion. Bangladesh is a country with certain issues. They are also a country that we’ve talked about often. So for a specific dynamic, I’m going to have us take that away.”
She further said, “What I do want to mention regarding Bangladesh is that a Bangladeshi court has issued an arrest warrant for UK MP Tulip Siddiq.”
Siddiq, the granddaughter of Bangladesh’s founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, represents Hampstead and Kilburn in the British Parliament.
Addressing the broader situation, Bruce noted, “The matters you’ve raised – including this and the recent protests – are ultimately under the jurisdiction of Bangladeshi authorities. Of course, engaging in dialogue with them is also very important.”
Concluding her remarks, Bruce stated, “Ultimately, the future of Bangladesh will be decided by the Bangladeshi people.”
She continued by stressing the importance of democratic processes: “What you’ve said – they (Bangladeshis) are facing those circumstances too. We have also seen the reports. Elections matter. I don’t want to sound it trite here, but it’s true. Democracy maters. The practical actions people take to confront these problems are also very important. Over the last 20 to 25 years, we have seen lives destroyed. So it’s quite clear – democracy is the choice for most countries on the planet.”
While the State Department stopped short of direct criticism of the interim government or its alleged links to extremism, Bruce’s remarks indicated that the US is closely monitoring the evolving political climate in Bangladesh.