Six senior US congressmen have written to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Opposition Leader Khaleda Zia urging them “to do everything” to prevent violence and hold a free, fair and credible elections.
Eliot Engel, Edward Royce, Steve Chabot, Joseph Crowley, George Holding, and Grace Meng wrote the letters separately but all carried
the same text.
It was dated Dec 12.
The letters are now posted on the US Congress Committee on Foreign Affairs Democrats website.
They called for “direct negotiations” immediately between the two parties to ensure the upcoming elections are free, fair and viewed as
credible by the Bangladeshi people.
However, they were skeptical. “We do not see how credible elections can take place unless the parties move quickly to engage in direct
negotiations and all sides agree to move ahead”.
This includes, according to the letters, the establishment of “a mutually acceptable mechanism” to carry out the elections in a
credible manner.
They said they were ‘strongly’ urging them for negotiations.
They also expressed concerns over the continued political deadlock and the ensuing violence, including those against Hindus and other
minorities that they said would “have a negative impact on the real progress that is being made in Bangladesh”.
The letters mentioned Bangladesh’s economic achievements, poverty reduction, and the increase in bilateral trade with the US and said
“we do not want to see it stop”.
“At the same time, we fear the potential impact that politically motivated violence and a flawed electoral process will have on this
progress”.
They said they do not believe election related violence is “acceptable or a legitimate” part of the democratic process.
The letter mentioned that the US would work “with the future, credibly elected, Government of Bangladesh”.
But it urged the future government “to exact no retribution” on whichever party loses the election.
“We will continue to closely follow this matter and appreciate your attention to ensuring that democracy is allowed to flourish in
Bangladesh”.
The two parties were at loggerheads over the nature of polls oversight.
Amid impasse, the Election Commission scheduled the polls on Jan 5
but the BNP led Opposition alliance boycotted it.
The opposition demands restoration of the non-political caretaker which has now been scrapped by the 15th constitutional amendment and
polls to be conducted by it.
Without the Opposition, Bangladesh current parliament polls have turned out to be a one-sided affair, with more than half the seats
remain winners without a contest. – bdnews24.com
