Next elections need to be fair and impartial
Mohammad Amjad Hossain :
Since Bangladesh achieved independence through the effort of the Indo-Soviet treaty of friendship and cooperation which was signed on August 8 in 1971 gave a morale boost to Indian military strategists to take for intervention along with freedom fighters of East Pakistan. On the other hand President Richard Nixon of the United States of America joined hands with Pakistan marauding armed forces while the news media in the United States and senator John F. Kennedy extended total support in favour of freedom fighters of East Pakistan. Having achieved independence from the marauding armed forces of Pakistan in 16 December in 1971 the United States of America considered recognition of Bangladesh on April 4 in 1972. Ironically no less than the Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman came out with a statement that “the recognition would open up a new chapter in the development of friendly cooperation and understanding between the United States and Bangladesh for the mutual benefit of our two peoples”.
The Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, however, thanked the people of the United States and their press for their support to legitimate aspirations during the war of liberation. In fact, this may reflect the amount of importance attached to the relation with America. It was followed by a bilateral agreement signed in Dacca on 30 May in 1972 between Bangladesh and the United States of America. In fact the USA gave 90 million dollars to Bangladesh as a grant. This was the turning point for the development of bilateral relations. Since then relation between Bangladesh and the United States of America has been expanded by leaps and bounds.
As a matter of fact, Bangladesh has been receiving food assistance from the USA under PL 480, which restricts the recipient country from trading with black-listed countries. Bangladesh, which was desperately in need of hard currency used to export jute to Cuba in favour of hard currency. Cuba was one of the blacklisted countries at that time. The government of Bangladesh was advised in September 1974 to cancel further export orders of jute to Cuba in favour of American food aid. Professor Amartya Sen of Oxford University said “Only after Bangladesh gave in and sacrificed its trade with Cuba was the flow of America food aid was resumed”. By the time food situation had gone from bad to worse, and the country was affected by famine of severe nature. This caused embarrassment to the government in power. Awami League was in power then.
Despite all these developments the government of Awami League attached significant importance to the visit of Henry Kissinger, secretary of state under President Ford to visit Bangladesh from 31 October to 1st November in 1974. The government of Bangladesh was assured by the Ford administration to assist Bangladesh to reconstruct the war ravaged economy of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh foreign direct investment (FDI) stock was $ 16.9 million in 2019 with the US being the top investment country with $ 3.5 billion in accumulated investment. Bangladesh received $ 1.6 million in FDI in2019 while US companies are the largest foreign investors in Bangladesh making the US the top source of foreign direct investment in 2021.
Since China and India have dominating roles in Bangladesh the United States thought to send its US under secretary of state for political affairs Victoria Nuland in March 2023 and signed a draft defence cooperation agreement with Bangladesh. In a recent interview US Deputy assistant secretary held the opinion that the United States does not define its relation with Bangladesh taking into its relation with Russia, China or any other country. The interview was given on May 17, 2023.
The latest parliament elections in Bangladesh does not hold in a free atmosphere as has been dominated on 12th June in 1996 since all foreign observers unanimously appreciated the holding of election free and fair atmosphere. Since the United States assisted government of Bangladesh, the secretary of state of the United States came out a new visa policy to Bangladesh citizen who will undermine the free and fair election in January 2024. Since Bangladesh is considered an important regional partner in South Asia in the field of economy, climate, humanitarian and security sector, the United States in fact gave a warning to the authority of Bangladesh to hold national elections in 2024 in a free and fair atmosphere. As a matter of fact, this warning came from the United States since the government of Bangladesh doubled down on an authoritarian crackdown on free speech, arresting critics and sensor media while being arrested under abusive Digital security act. Having seen the current observation, the United States has no other option but to give friendly advice to the government in power in Bangladesh to hold next general parliamentary elections in a free affair atmosphere. Prestige of the country is much more important than an individual.
(The writer is a retired diplomat from Bangladesh and former President of Nova International Toastmaster of America. He writes from Falls church, Virginia).
