US envoy urges political parties to resolve electoral crisis

Staff Reporter :
US Ambassador to Bangladesh, Peter Haas has stressed the urgency of resolving the current political crisis surrounding the electoral system, urging the political parties to take the initiative in finding a solution to resolve the crisis.

“We do not support any political party in particular. All we support is a democratic process so that the people of Bangladesh can choose their next government,” said the US envoy after holding a meeting with Awami League leaders, led by the party’s general secretary Obaidul Quader, at the party’s central office at Bangabandhu Avenue in Dhaka.
The US wanted that people of Bangladesh would choose their next government, he added.

Reiterating the United States’ stance on non-violence, Peter Haas underlined the importance of a fair, transparent, and peaceful electoral process and said the United States is committed to playing a supportive role in ensuring a peaceful and orderly electoral event.

About the meeting with AL leaders, Haas said, “During my time as the US ambassador, I’ve had the privilege of meeting with various political parties in Bangladesh. Today’s (Thursday) meeting with the Awami League was a significant aspect of our broader engagement efforts.”

“As part of my diplomatic duties, I also regularly interact with the police, security forces, and members of civil society. In each of these meetings, I consistently reiterate our unwavering policy of supporting free, fair, and peaceful elections, with a strong commitment to non-violence as the cornerstone of the democratic process,” he said.
The US ambassador also said, he firmly believes that ensuring a free, fair, and peaceful election is a collective responsibility. All stakeholders, including the government, the media, political parties, civil society, the judiciary, the security services, and, of course, the voters, must actively play their respective roles to uphold the integrity of the electoral process, he added.

The US ambassador held the meeting with the AL general secretary a day after the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir held a meeting with the envoys of 25 countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom.