WEB DESK
The United States has said that it supports free and fair elections in Bangladesh and around the world but does not endorse one political party or candidate over the other. Briefing the media in Washington, Principal Deputy Spokesperson of the State Department Vedant Patel said that the US expects elections in any country to happen freely, fairly and with neutrality and it is for that country to conduct the election with neutrality.
Vedant Patel also refused to comment about a question about Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina accusing the US of trying a regime change in many parts of the world. Responding to a question about the role of the US Embassy in Bangladesh, the State Department Spokesperson said that the US does not consider it interference ‘to have honest dialogue with our friends and partners about concerns that we have and shared interests’ that may or may not impact bilateral relations or impact regional concerns and priorities.
Calling Bangladesh a country of great importance to the US, the spokesperson said that there are a number of issues like addressing the threat of climate change, deepening economic ties, security concerns as it relates to the Indo-Pacific among others on which the US can continue to deepen its cooperation – not just with the Bangladeshi Government, with the Bangladeshi people as well. Earlier, on Monday, the State Department had said that the US wants elections in Bangladesh to be reflective of the will of Bangladeshi people and it has nothing to say beyond that as it is an internal domestic election.