Not free or fair, regret not all parties participated in Bangladesh elections, says US

The US on Sunday said that Bangladesh “elections were not free and fair” while expressing concerns over the arrests of thousands of political opposition members.

The US remains concerned by the arrests of thousands of political opposition members and by reports of irregularities on election day.  The United States shares the view with other observers that these elections were not free or fair and we regret that not all parties… pic.twitter.com/nuvnR7yXkN

— ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2024

“The US remains concerned by the arrests of thousands of political opposition members and by reports of irregularities on election day. The United States shares the view with other observers that these elections were not free or fair and we regret that not all parties participated,” the US Department of State said in a statement. The statement further said that the US condemns the violence that took place during elections and in the months leading up to it. “We encourage the Government of Bangladesh to credibly investigate reports of violence and to hold perpetrators accountable. We also urge all political parties to reject violence,” the statement added. The US supported Bangladesh people and their aspirations for democracy, freedom of peaceful assembly, and freedom of expression. “The United States notes the Awami League party won a majority of seats in the January 7, 2024 parliamentary elections,” the statement said. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina won the re-election for a fifth term in the national election, conducted on Sunday amid the boycott by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by former PM Khaleda Zia, who is currently in jail. Furthermore, the US remained committed to partnering with Bangladesh to advance a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific. “Looking ahead, the United States remains committed to partnering with Bangladesh to advance our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, to supporting human rights and civil society in Bangladesh, and to deepening our people-to-people and economic ties,” it added. Sheikh Hasina’s party Awami League has won a fourth consecutive term in the 12th parliamentary election, marking the second lowest voter turnout since the reinstatement of democracy in 1991. Notably, the Awami League won in five constituencies amid a boycott by the opposition BNP and 15 other parties. Following her victory, Hasina further expressed her commitment to serving the people of Bangladesh, emphasising the responsibility she feels towards the citizens who have repeatedly voted for her. With inputs from agencies