Bangladesh elections were not free or fair, says United States

The United States on Monday said it shares the view expressed by poll observers that the general elections in Bangladesh were not free or fair.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League won the polls on Sunday to secure a fourth consecutive term in the country. The party won 222 out of the 300 elected seats in Parliament.

However, with the main Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party boycotting the elections, the Awami League did not face any significant competition in the seats it contested. The Awami League chose not to field candidates in some constituencies to avoid the Parliament being seen as a one-party institution.

On Monday the United States said that it regretted that not all parties had participated in the elections.

Matthew Miller, the spokesperson of the US department of state, said that Washington condemns the violence that took place during the election 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,” Miller said. “We also urge all political parties to reject violence.”

In the run-up to the polls, Bangladesh had reported incidents of violence and several Opposition leaders were arrested.

Violent clashes had erupted in the country on October 28 as supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, protested against the government alleging that free and fair polls were not possible under the Awami League regime.

This is not the first time that the United States has expressed concern about the credibility of elections in Bangladesh. Washington has previously accused Dhaka of political violence, human rights violations and election manipulation.

In February 2022, the US State Department had warned Dhaka that democratic backsliding will limit American cooperation. In May, the country announced that it will deny visas to Bangladeshis believed to be complicit in undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh.

Hasina had responded to the allegations saying that the United States was trying to topple her government.

The United Kingdom also said on Monday that since not all political parties participated in the elections, the Bangladeshi citizens did not have the full range of voting options.

“Democratic elections depend on credible, open and fair competition,” the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said. “Respect for human rights, rule of law and due process are essential elements of the democratic process. These standards were not consistently met during the election period.”

It also said that the significant number of arrests of Opposition party members before the polling day was concerning.

The United Kingdom urged all Bangladeshi political parties to address their differences and find a common way forward in the interests of the people.

The United Nations’ human rights agency also voiced concerns about the general elections held on Sunday.

The organisation said that the law enforcement officials in the country had used mass arrests, threats, enforced disappearances, blackmailing and surveillance ahead of the polls.

“In the months leading up to the vote, thousands of opposition supporters have been detained arbitrarily or subjected to intimidation,” United Nations’ human rights chief Volker Türk said on Monday. “Such tactics are not conducive to a truly genuine process.”

He also urged Dhaka to take the necessary steps to ensure that the human rights of all Bangladeshis are fully taken into account.

Also read:

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