Zakir Hossain / Dhaka
The United States has said it is aware of the interim Bangladeshi government’s ban on the Awami League’s political activities and reaffirmed its support for a free, democratic process and fair legal proceedings.
“We are aware that the interim government has banned the Awami League from all political activities until a special tribunal for the party and its leaders concludes,” said Thomas “Tommy” Pigott, Principal Deputy Spokesperson of the US Department of State, during a press briefing in Washington DC on May 13. Pigott stressed that the US does not support any political party over another in Bangladesh and urged all countries to uphold freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly, and association.
In Dhaka, Chief Adviser’s press secretary Shafiqul Alam defended the ban, citing national security and the protection of witnesses involved in the International Crimes Tribunal. “This party severely squeezed political space and undermined sovereignty during its 15-year tyrannical and kleptocratic rule. The wounds from the crimes against humanity it committed are still fresh,” he told this correspondent.
New Delhi, meanwhile, has expressed concern over the Awami League ban and emphasized the need for an early general election to restore democratic normalcy in Bangladesh.
Pigott also reiterated America’s commitment to its five-decade partnership with the people of Bangladesh and said Washington would continue working with the interim government to deepen bilateral ties.