US stresses importance of dialogue

The US state department has said that dialogue is important to achieving a free and fair election in Bangladesh. The department’s spokesperson Matthew Miller said this at a regular press briefing on Tuesday.

Replying to a query regarding free, fair, and participatory election in Bangladesh and about the Indian influence, he said: "As I said yesterday, the holding of free and fair elections is the responsibility of everyone, all political parties, voters, government, civil society, and the media. And what we want in Bangladesh is the same thing the Bangladeshi people want, which is free and fair elections conducted in a peaceful manner."

Responding to another question relating the security of US Ambassador in Bangladesh, Peter Haas, Miller stated: "Let me just say that we have made clear that we expect the Government of Bangladesh, as we expect every government, to comply with their obligations under the Vienna Conventions for the safe protection of diplomats."

Another journalist asked Matthew Miller Bangladesh’s ruling prime minister responded US Ambassador Peter Haas’ call on dialogue between the ruling party and opposition by prime minister by saying that she will have dialogue with the opposition if the US President Joe Biden does the same dialogue with the former US President Donald Trump.

The US state department spokespersons said: “I won’t have any comment on the first part of your question other than to say that the goals I outlined before for free and fair elections, we do believe that dialogue is important to achieving those goals."

Replying to another question: "how could you believe that there will be an election free, fair, and inclusive?", he said: "We are closely monitoring the electoral environment in Bangladesh leading up to January’s election, and we take incidents of violence very seriously. We are engaging and will continue to engage with the government, with opposition, with civil society, and other stakeholders to urge them to work together for the benefit of the Bangladeshi people, to ensure free and fair elections that are conducted in a peaceful manner.”

In the media briefing, another journalist asked him about the mayhem across the country unleashed by thr BNP-Jamaat alliance.

Responding to the question, Mattew Miller said, “As you know, because I’ve said this before, we don’t announce visa or any other sanctions before we make them, but we continue to support a free and fair election in Bangladesh and believe it should be conducted peacefully.”