US tells parties to engage in immediate talks

The US has urged political parties to engage in “immediate dialogue” to hold elections, expressing ‘disappointment’ over Sunday’s polls which it feels were not credible.

It observed the just-concluded elections “do not appear to credibly express the will of the Bangladeshi people”.

In a statement, the Deputy Spokesperson of the State Department Marie Harf expressed her ‘disappointment’ over the elections.

She urged political parties to find a way to hold elections that are “free, fair, peaceful, and credible”.

While it remains to be seen what form the new government will take, she said, the US’s commitment to supporting the people of Bangladesh remains “undiminished”.

She expressed disappointment as more than half of the seats were uncontested and most of the remainder offered only “token” opposition.

The major Opposition, the BNP, stayed away in the elections citing no-confidence in its dispensation resulting in its credibility debates.

The US did not deploy its observers for the elections.

Now it encouraged the government and opposition parties to engage in “immediate dialogue” to find a way “to hold as soon as possible elections” that are “free, fair, peaceful, and credible, reflecting the will of the Bangladeshi people”.

Harf once again condemned violence in the “strongest terms” from all quarters, saying it was not an acceptable element of the political process.

“…we call on all to stop committing further violence”.

“Bangladesh’s political leadership – and those who aspire to lead – must do everything in their power to ensure law and order and refrain from supporting and fomenting violence, especially against minority communities, inflammatory rhetoric, and intimidation,” read the statement.

It also called upon the government to provide political space to all citizens to freely express their political views in coming days keeping Bangladesh’s “strong democratic traditions”.

“We also call strongly on the opposition to use such space peacefully and responsibly, and for all sides to eschew violence, which is not part of democratic practice and must stop immediately”.