Report in The Daily Star, Oct 09, 2023
The pre-election assessment delegation from the US has wanted to know what steps the government had taken to hold free and fair elections.
The mission neither mentioned participatory elections nor the polls-time government, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen told reporters after meeting the six-member delegation at his office yesterday.
The delegates arrived in Dhaka on Saturday on a six-day visit.
Today, the mission is scheduled to meet representatives from the Awami League, BNP and Jatiya Party.
Earlier, the EU announced it would not send a fully-fledged election observation mission to Bangladesh.
At yesterday’s meeting with the delegates, Foreign Minister Momen talked about Awami League’s role in the Liberation War and its struggles for democracy.
“We have said we want a free and fair election that is free of violence. But we cannot guarantee that it will be free of violence because all [political] parties need to be committed to that,” he said.
An election can be considered participatory If enough people participate in it, he said, adding that the government wants all parties’ participation.
Momen said he sought US support in educating people to create a culture of debate on the political parties’ performance.
“This is absent in our country…. The media can arrange it.”
Momen informed the US delegation that the government has a legal framework for elections and there is an independent Election Commission that can transfer and sack police or other officers who violate laws.
The voter list with photo IDs and the transparent ballot boxes can prevent fake voting, he said.
If journalists are intimidated, the EC will take action, he said.
Besides, agents from all the parties, foreign and national observers will have access to the polling stations, he said.
Asked if there will be any new restrictions from the US as reported by the media, Momen said US officials mentioned no such thing when the prime minister and he went there last month.
“You are inviting such restrictions. No one spoke of any restrictions,” he added.
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/diplomacy/news/ensuring-fair-polls-us-assessment-team-enquires-about-govt-steps-3438306
