The United States has stated that they would advocate for "free and fair" elections conducted in a "peaceful" manner. Welcoming the interim government's announcement regarding the next national election, Principal Deputy Spokesperson of the US State Department, Vedant Patel, made these remarks while responding to a question during a regular briefing at the State Department on December 18.
Patel said that the US is going to continue to monitor the timing. "So we welcome steps that have been taken by this interim government of Bangladesh to prepare for elections that ultimately will allow the Bangladeshi people to choose their own government representatives," he said.
"And of course we're going to encourage the respect of the rule of law over the course of this whole process, as well as the respect for democratic principles should a transition come to fruition," he said.
"And as we would throughout the world, we would advocate for free and fair elections conducted in a peaceful manner," Patel added. Responding to a separate question, he said they have been deeply troubled by reports that hundreds of Bangladeshis were forcibly disappeared over the past two decades. "Enforced disappearance is an egregious human rights violation that inflicts the trauma of indeterminate detention or disappearance on its victims," he said.
It also inflicts the trauma of uncertainty on the families, Patel said. "We welcome efforts by the interim government to investigate these crimes and encourage fair and transparent processes to provide justice for the victims and their family members," he said.
On December 17, during a briefing, a journalist mentioned that there are over 30 journalists who have been jailed for over 60 days without a hearing or bail, and the Committee to Protect Journalists, Reporters Without Borders, and several human rights organisations have signed a petition.
The journalist wanted to know whether the US will provide any statement to get them at least bail. In reply, US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said they have been consistent in dealing with this matter with the government of Bangladesh.
"We believe media freedoms ought to be upheld, the freedom of the press ought to be respected, and that such cases ought to be dealt with consistent with the rule of law and respect for the press," Miller said.
