US worries over BD govt’s poll-related propaganda, mass arrests
Staff Reporter :
The United States (US) has expressed deep concerns over the mass arrests of the opposition members in Bangladesh and their torture in prisons ahead of the parliamentary election on January 7.
The US has further expressed worries over the Bangladesh government’s planned propaganda campaign involving fake news, fake videos, and AI tools against the United States and the opposition.
US Spokesperson Mathew Miller made the remarks during a press briefing in the State Department in Washington on Wednesday.
“We are deeply concerned by the reports of mass arrests of thousands of opposition members and reports of torture in prison. We urge all sides to exercise restraint and avoid violence,” Matthew Miller said.
He also said, “We urge the Government of Bangladesh to work with all stakeholders to create conditions in which all may participate in the pre-election and election environment freely, without fear of violence or retribution.”
Drawing attention to an investigative report by Financial Times, which reported that Sheikh Hasina’s government in Bangladesh orchestrated a planned propaganda campaign involving fake news, fake videos, using artificial intelligence tools against the United States and Bangladesh opposition political parties in the context of upcoming dummy election.
In response to the question, Miller said, “So we have seen the concerning news of deep fakes in election-related disinformation in Bangladesh. It’s part of a worrying trend around the globe of using AI to manipulate and influence democratic processes.”
The spokesperson was also asked that six international human rights organisations urge the international community to stand for the protection of fundamental rights in Bangladesh as the regime makes the whole country in prison ahead of so-called election of banning political activities, except election campaign from December 18.
Miller said, “It is our belief that a healthy democracy benefits from a variety of voices speaking freely, engaged in dialogue and discussion in an exchange about the issues of the day.”
Regarding new sanctions the spokesperson was asked that a lot of people in Bangladesh are questioning about any new sanction against Bangladesh before election on January 7.
He said, “I do not have any new sanctions to announce today. It is our longstanding practice not to preview sanctions actions before we take them.”
Apart from this, a journalist asked that there was media report about three-time prime minister of Bangladesh, Begum Khaleda Zia who was poisoned and ill-treated while she was in government custody.
Now they are not allowing her to go abroad to have an adequate treatment and she’s dying. UN already made the request for her treatment abroad. Does America has any plan to make the same request?
Miller, however, did not reply to the question rather he said that he would take the question back and get an answer.
Meanwhile, BNP has been strongly slamming the massive crackdown on their leaders and workers across the country and sending them behind bars under trumped-up charges.
BNP said that the government and the Election Commission are holding a one-sided election what they say ‘a dummy election’.
The party said the government and the jail authorities cannot evade the responsibility of their leaders and workers recently died in jails.
After BNP’s grand rally on Oct 28, the party’s leaders and workers are facing mass arrest which has strongly been criticised by different international organisations, including the UN and the US.