Bangladesh Election Commission questions US polls after Ambassador Bernicat’s remarks

An election commissioner has come down hard on US Ambassador Marcia Bernicat for expressing concern over reported irregularities in Gazipur and Khulna city polls.

Rafiqul Islam raised questions about the fairness of American election while speaking to reporters in Rajshahi on Saturday.

Reporters have sought Islam’s reactions to Bernicat’s comments on the Bangladesh polls. Islam then advised the media to ask her whether the election was fair in the US, a country that “peddles democracy” around the world.

Islam said an investigation was underway in the US into alleged meddling by Russia in its presidential election won by President Donald Trump.

In a meeting with diplomatic correspondents in Dhaka on Jun 28, Bernicat linked free, fair and credible elections in Bangladesh with the stability of the Indo-Pacific region for which the new American administration has adopted a strategy.

She highlighted Bangladesh’s democratic process and elections in Khulna and Gazipur, and indicated that stability comes through holding free, fair and credible elections.

“While we commend the Khulna and Gazipur city corporation elections, the US remains concerned by reports of irregularities, including ballot box stuffing and intimidation of political players and polling agents both before and on the day of the vote,” Bernicat said.

Islam claimed the Gazipur election was largely fair, except some sporadic incidents and the Election Commission postponed voting in the centres where irregularities were found.

He was speaking to the reporters after a workshop for election officers in Rajshahi ahead of the Jul 30 city polls there.