USA eyes on PM’s commitment to ensuring transparent election

Diplomatic Correspondent :
The United States of America is closely monitoring how Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will work to fulfill her commitment ensuring genuine, transparent and peaceful parliamentary poll.
The US Department of State Spokesperson Ned Price on Friday made the remark in a special briefing on US’s foreign policy in Washington DC while responding to a query of a journalist about Bangladesh’s next general elections.
“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that she and her government want free and fair parliamentary elections. We welcome those words, but most importantly, we are going to be watching to be sure that those words will be translated into actions,” Ned Price said.
Pointing at two previous 2014 and 2018 elections marred by irregularities and rigging, the journalist asked Ned Price that what the US policy on Bangladesh would be about free, fair, and credible election and respect the fundamental rights.
Emphasising the arrangement for a genuine electoral process by the Bangladesh government ahead of the next general election, the Spokesperson said that the USA is observing Bangladesh’s situation centering the next general election.
He further said, “We look forward to better understanding how the government will work to ensure that these elections are carried out the way they should be. That is in a manner that is genuine, transparent, and peaceful.”
“The next parliamentary elections are still some time away, but we support constructive actions Bangladesh can take ahead of the polls to carry out a genuine electoral process,” he continued.
Expressing the country’s concern about intimidation of politicians and
opposition party members, the US spokesperson said, “We’re of course concerned every time anywhere we hear of violence, harassment, intimidation of politicians, independent voices, opposition party members – that of course is the case in Bangladesh.”
“When we see it and when we have seen it in Bangladesh, we have had private conversations with the government to register our concerns,” Ned Price said.
He also said that the US Ambassador in Bangladesh has been doing ‘extraordinary job’ following the principles of US foreign policy.
“Our ambassador in Bangladesh is doing an extraordinary job not only representing the United States, but also standing up for the values that are really at the core of our approach to foreign policy, human rights, democracy and a vision that is free and open. And that’s something that he will continue to do.”
The journalist also pointed out the recent meeting of Foreign Ministry of Bangladesh and all invited ambassadors, including US Ambassador in Dhaka where the Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen and State Minister MD Shahriar Alam questioned about the US election and human rights abuse which is higher than Bangladesh.