Staff Reporter :
The United States strongly condemns any violence against peaceful protests, affirming that protesters must be allowed to exercise their fundamental rights of expression and speech.
Additionally, the US cautioned its citizens visiting Bangladesh amid this political unrest and it has voiced worries about the disruptions in internet and telecommunications services throughout Bangladesh, which have hindered the ability of Bangladeshi citizens, including Americans in the country, to access essential information during the ongoing nationwide unrest.
During a press conference in Washington, DC, on Tuesday local time, US State Department spokesperson Mathew Miller addressed these concerns in response to questions from the reporters.
“We continue to closely follow developments in Bangladesh and call for calm and de-escalation.
We condemn any acts of violence, whether they be acts of violence committed against peaceful protesters or they be acts of violence committed by people who are protesting the actions of the government,” he said.
“We support peaceful assembly. We support peaceful protests. But in all cases, they ought to be carried out peacefully, and the government should refrain from acts of violence against peaceful protesters,” he continued.
Regarding the shutdown of the internet and telecommunications, he said, “We also remain deeply concerned by reports of ongoing telecommunications disruptions across the country that limit the ability of people in Bangladesh, including American citizens there, to access critical information.”
“That’s something we have spoken out against in other countries, and we speak out against it when it comes to Bangladesh as well, and we’ll continue to make those concerns known,” he added.
The spokesperson was also asked whether Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the operatives in Pakistan listen to what the American and European governments are asking them to do.
Before replying to this question, Miller himself asks, Does every country in the United States-or in the world-do exactly what the United States, any country in Europe, or any other country around the world thinks they ought to do or thinks they ought to handle every situation?
“Of course not.
Sovereign countries make their own decisions. They always have. They always will,” he said.
In this context, what the US government does is say, “What we can do is impress upon countries what we believe is the right way to approach questions of fundamental freedom, questions of democratic values, and questions of human rights, and bring all the influence we can to bear to urge them along that path. And that’s what we’ll continue to do.”
A journalist also posed a question, stating that the Bangladesh Army is using the UN logo on Humvees and tanks, and they are firing from that vehicle into civilians, and thousands of people are getting killed. Why are they using the UN logo?
Miller said, “I am not aware of that specific report. You should address that to the United Nations. As I have made it clear, we condemn any violence against peaceful protests.
Protesters should be allowed to carry out their fundamental freedom of expression and their fundamental freedom of speech. And at the same time, we urge that all protests be peaceful.”
In another press briefing on Monday, Washington time, Miller also condemned the government’s shoot-on-sight orders to quell the protesters.
He said, “We condemn the reported shoot-on-sight orders that have been given and call for those to be rescinded.”
While talking about media freedom in Bangladesh amid this situation, he said, “I reiterate that media freedom is an essential building block of a thriving democracy. It is essential that journalists in Bangladesh, as is true everywhere in the world, be able to function freely.”