The United States (US) has said it will continue to work with the new government in Bangladesh led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
“We continue to work…of course we’ll, but while at the same time making clear our concerns with the election,” said Marie Harf, Deputy Spokesperson of the US Department of State in a regular briefing in Washington on January 13.
The response came when a questioner wanted to know specifically whether the US will continue to work with the government of Sheikh Hasina.
Another questioner said the US has not recognised the elections as free and fair whether the US recognises the government after the elections.
In response, she said, “Well, that’s not exactly how it works. We obviously work with governments who are elected, but in regards to these elections themselves, we’ve already made clear our disappointment with the elections.”
Harf also said the elections, in their view, did not credibly reflect the will of the Bangladeshi people since almost all of the seats of the new parliament weren’t contested or had only token opposition.
“So, we’ll make clear our concerns when we have them,” she added.
-UNB
