United States
US State Dept spokesperson says will ‘refrain from being drawn into’ internal Bangladeshi political matters
The United States has once again said it supports "free and fair" elections in Bangladesh.
"We think the future of the Bangladeshi government should be determined by its people," US Department of State Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at a regular media briefing on Monday (November 13, 2023) when a reporter wanted to know why the US government must discuss Bangladesh-related issues with India.
Miller said the United States is not taking a side in Bangladesh’s elections.
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"We do not support one political party over the other. We support free and fair elections," he added.
Miller also said, "I welcome the attempts by various reporters to draw me into internal Bangladeshi political matters, and I’m going to continue to refrain from doing so."
On Monday, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam reiterated that the next general election in Bangladesh will be held as per the constitution, regardless of “who’s doing what.”
He said election is an internal matter of the people of Bangladesh and the election will be held under the constitution and relevant laws.
The Election Commission is taking preparations to hold the next national election by January next year and is likely to announce polls schedules soon.
Read: Election will be held as per constitution regardless of ‘who’s doing what’: Shahriar Alam
Earlier, Law Minister Anisul Huq conveyed to the UN Human Rights Council that opposition party BNP’s demand for holding the next national election under a caretaker government is “completely unconstitutional and illegal.”
Mentioning Bangladesh’s independent Election Commission, he said the government is committed to hold the next national election in a “free, fair and peaceful” manner with the participation of people.
US says it takes any violence leading up to election in Bangladesh ‘incredibly seriously’
The United States has said it is closely monitoring the electoral environment in Bangladesh, leading up to January’s general election, and that it takes any incident of violence “incredibly seriously”.
“We are engaging and will continue to engage with the government, with opposition parties, with civil society, and other stakeholders to urge them to work together for the benefit of the Bangladeshi people,” Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the US Department of State, Vedant Patel, said.
Read: US says it takes any violence leading up to election in Bangladesh ‘incredibly seriously’
He made the remarks at a regular briefing on November 6 when a reporter wanted to know whether the US will ask for putting an end to the violence and participation in the election.
Patel reiterated that the US does not support any particular political party in Bangladesh.
“We don’t favor any one political party over the other. Right now our focus continues to be closely monitoring the electoral environment in Bangladesh leading up to January’s election, engaging appropriately with the government, with opposition leaders, with civil society and other stakeholders to urge them to work together for the benefit of the Bangladeshi people,” Patel said.
Responding to a question, the principal deputy spokesperson for the US Department of State said, they have an “incredibly talented” team at the embassy in Dhaka, led by an experienced ambassador who is well-versed not just working in Bangladesh, but also the broader region.
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In a separate briefing at the UN headquarters on November 6, Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, Stephane Dujarric, said that they hope for a “fair and free” election, free of violence, in Bangladesh.
“And as we said, we’ve expressed our concern about the large number of people who’ve been arrested,” he said while responding to a question.
Read: EU concerned over opposition arrests, urges all sides to reject violence
“Well, I can’t speak to why, I mean, I don’t have the details. I can’t speak to why one party did not attend the dialogue,” said the UN chief's spokesman when a journalist mentioned that the Election Commission is holding dialogues with the main political parties to meet the demands of a fair election in Bangladesh, but BNP did not attend the dialogue held on November 4.
‘Aware of report by online outlet blocked in Bangladesh; US doesn’t prefer one party over others’
The United States has reiterated that it does not take sides in Bangladesh, and wants to see "free, fair and peaceful" elections in the country.
"We do not take sides or prefer one political party over others in Bangladesh. We want the people of Bangladesh to be able to choose their own leaders,” US Embassy Spokesperson Bryan Schiller said while responding to a question from UNB.
He said that the US State Department, Ambassador Peter Haas and others have said this many times.
The spokesperson made the remarks when the embassy’s attention was drawn to a report on a US “ultimatum”.
Read: Free, fair, peaceful elections incredibly important: Afreen Akhter
“We are aware of this report by an online outlet that is blocked in Bangladesh. As Deputy Assistant Secretary Afreen Akhter said yesterday, the United States supports free, fair, and peaceful elections in Bangladesh,” he said.
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Quoting US Deputy Assistant Secretary Afreen Akhter, the embassy spokesperson said that elections are not just about how they are conducted on election day, but also about allowing space for the civil society, the media, and other stakeholders to engage freely in the democratic process.
What could be the possible reasons to apply US visa restrictions against someone?
The United States has said its visa restriction policy can be applied to anyone "found to be undermining" democratic elections in Bangladesh.
“This could include vote rigging, intimidating voters, use of violence to prevent people from exercising their rights to freedom of association and freedom of peaceful assembly, and the use of measures designed to prevent political parties, voters, civil society, or the media from participating in the electoral process or expressing their views,” US Embassy Spokesperson Bryan Schiller told UNB while responding to a question.
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He came up with the remark when asked whether journalists may also come under visa restrictions.
Clarifying the issue further, the US Embassy in Facebook post said, “We are applying the [visa restriction] policy in a balanced way against anyone [undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh] - regardless of being pro-government, opposition party, members of law enforcement agencies, members of the judiciary, or media persons.”
The embassy spokesperson said the US Department of State relies on extensive, well-resourced, and fact-checked case-by-case review of credible information about those undermining the democratic process in Bangladesh to determine whether to apply visa restrictions.
Read: Haas raises eyebrows by saying members of media may face visa restrictions
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The United States has said it will not release the names or numbers of people in Bangladesh subjected to the visa restrictions.
"Visa records are confidential under US law," US Embassy Spokesperson Bryan Schiller told UNB earlier.
But, he said, the US government has looked very closely at incidents since they announced this policy.
"After a careful review of the evidence, we have imposed visa restrictions on members of law enforcement, the ruling party, and the political opposition,” said Bryan Schiller.
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In May this year, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the new visa policy under Section 212(a)(3)(C) (“3C”) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to support Bangladesh’s goal of holding free, fair, and peaceful national elections.
Under this policy, the United States will restrict the issuance of visas for any Bangladeshi individual, believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh.
The United States notified the Bangladesh government of this decision on May 3, 2023.
The Department of State on Friday said they are taking steps to impose visa restrictions on Bangladeshi individuals responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh.
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"Our actions today reflect the continued commitment of the United States to supporting Bangladesh’s goal of peacefully holding free and fair national elections, and to support those seeking to advance democracy globally," said its Spokesperson Matthew Miller in a statement.
These individuals include members of law enforcement, the ruling party, and the political opposition, he said.
"The United States is committed to supporting free and fair elections in Bangladesh that are carried out in a peaceful manner," Miller said.
These persons and members of their immediate family may be found ineligible for entry into the United States.
Additional persons found to have been responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh may also be found ineligible for US visas under this policy in the future, according to the US Department of State.
This includes current and former Bangladeshi officials, members of opposition and ruling political parties, and members of law enforcement, the judiciary, and security services, Miller said.
Sanctions, freezing assets, giving partner nations intel can be tools to fight corruption: US State Dept
The United States has encouraged Bangladesh to “root out corrupt actors,” operating within its borders “fairly and impartially.”
“Generally speaking, sanctions can be a tool to fight corruption,” US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters in a regular briefing in Washington on August 8.
He said they have other tools as well, such as freezing assets and giving partner nations information so they can prosecute cases.
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Responding to a question on demand for free and fair election, Miller said they have made it clear several times that the US supports free and fair elections in Bangladesh.
“We’ve made that clear publicly. We’ve made that clear in conversations with the Bangladeshi Government, and that will continue to be our policy,” he said.
The US Department of State’s Coordinator on Global Anti-Corruption, Richard Nephew, echoed the same regarding sanctions to address corruption during his Bangladesh visit on August 6-8.
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During his visit, Nephew met government officials, businesspersons, and civil society leaders to discuss how to fight the scourge of corruption.
Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, after his meeting with Nephew, said that Bangladesh laid emphasis on more transparency and accountability over issues involving money laundering, noting that in most cases Bangladesh does not get required feedback when it comes to mutual legal assistance.
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The US has invited Bangladesh to attend the 20th anniversary of the UN Convention Against Corruption in Atlanta in December this year. The foreign secretary said Bangladesh will take part in the meeting where the host US will seek renewed commitment from the participating countries or institutions to jointly tackle global corruption.
Ahead of today’s rallies, US reiterates political violence has no place in a democracy
Ahead of political rallies of the ruling and opposition parties in Dhaka, the United States has reiterated that political violence has no place in a democracy and that the US favors no political party in Bangladesh.
"I will reiterate that political violence has no place in a democracy, and in the United States, we favor no political party," Principal Deputy Spokesperson at the US Department of State Vedant Patel said in a regular media briefing in Washington on July 27.
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He said they support Bangladesh’s goal of holding free, fair, and peaceful elections.
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Patel said they have also emphasized the importance of the United States and Bangladesh working together to achieve this goal.
"We certainly continue to believe that this endeavor has no space or room for political violence," he said.
Also read: US supports Bangladesh’s goal of holding a free, fair and peaceful election: State Dept
US engages directly with Bangladeshi officials to discuss ‘shared priorities’: State Dept
The United States has said it engages directly with Bangladeshi officials to discuss "shared priorities" for the two countries.
Talking to reporters during a regular briefing at the US State Department on July 18, its Spokesperson Matthew Miller said US Under Secretary Uzra Zeya emphasized in her trip the importance of the United States and Bangladesh working together to achieve Bangladesh’s goal of "free and fair elections" as well as the crucial role of civil society, human rights defenders, journalists, and labor activists, and accountability for human rights abuses.
"These are important issues in our bilateral relationship," he said, adding that senior officials from the United States regularly travel to Bangladesh.
This type of political violence has no place in democratic elections: US State Dept on Hero Alam assault
Miller said the US Under Secretary also emphasized the importance of continuing to support the Rohingya refugees.
She visited Rohingya refugees as well as humanitarian partners and Bangladesh senior government officials in Cox’s Bazar and announced $74 million in additional humanitarian assistance to support Myanmar and Bangladesh response efforts.
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"I will just say finally that the United States is dedicated to partnering with the government and civil society to address the scourge of human trafficking in the region," Miller said.
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Why are fans throwing objects at favourite musicians on stage? Adele speaks out
Bracelets, phones, and candy are just a few of the items that have lately been thrown at musicians on stage.
Adele is the latest celebrity to speak out about the concerning trend, telling a Las Vegas crowd that she would "kill" anyone who threw something at her, reports BBC.
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In a widely circulated video, she tells the crowd that they have forgotten "show etiquette."
"Dare you to throw something at me," she joked.
Adele is well-known for throwing T-shirts into the audience during her Vegas residency, but her statements are in reaction to a series of events in which fans flung objects on stage, said the report.
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Bebe Rexha was hurt and brought to the hospital last month after being hit by a phone while performing.
And when a sex toy dropped on stage when Lil Nas X performed in Sweden on Saturday, he appeared amused, the report also said.
In November, Harry Styles got hit in the eye with a sweet, and Pink appeared uneasy when a bag of human ashes was tossed on stage.
Ava Max has previously been smacked on stage, and in June, a bracelet was thrown at country artist Kelsea Ballerini.
Charlie Puth has also requested fans put an end to the practice, stating on Twitter that "the trend... must come to an end" and that it is "disrespectful and very dangerous."
So why are fans doing it?
Dr Lucy Bennett is a Cardiff University lecturer who studies the interaction between fans and their favourite performers. She believed that people's attitudes have shifted since the Covid-19 pandemic, "where we couldn't be physically present at concerts." And Dr Bennett believed some individuals are doing it since it is more difficult to be noticed by artists on social media.
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"If you're in the same physical space as them, and you're throwing something, then you're going to get noticed," she said of the behaviour.
Don’t want US foreign policy failures in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Libya repeated in Bangladesh: Elected Bangladeshi-American officials, activists write to Biden
Bangladeshi-American elected officials, and members of human rights as well as professional organizations have urged US President Joe Biden to change the current course of action and ensure a violence-free, secular, democratic future for Bangladesh.
In a statement addressed to Biden, the Bangladeshi-Americans said that they are concerned about the repeated failure of the US foreign policy in its attempt to “establish democracy” without considering the historical and socio-political context in Muslim countries and regions.
“The vivid examples of American foreign policy failure are Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Libya. We don’t want that to happen in Bangladesh,” the statement reads.
The recent US policies and rhetoric are only “motivating terrorists and confounding liberal forces,” said the signatories of the statement.
The Bangladeshi-American elected officials, rights activists, and professionals also said they firmly support Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s strategies in combating terrorism in Bangladesh and South Asia.
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“While we appreciate the concern of your administration about the upcoming election in Bangladesh, the US policy must also consider the widespread terrorism incidents in Bangladesh perpetrated directly by the BNP-Jamaat alliance and terrorist groups under the patronage of the alliance,” they said in the statement.
Bangladesh held four widely praised and well-participated elections in 1991, 1996, 2001, and 2008, the statement noted.
“But it appears from the current political stalemate that holding only free elections does not guarantee liberal democratic outcomes,” the signatories said.
“Especially, the terrorism incidents under government patronage between two free elections in 2001 and 2008 indicate just having a free (and so-called fair) election in 2024 indeed will not change the current political deadlock unless stakeholders find a sustainable solution guaranteeing the security, safety and post-election political participation of the minorities and political dissidents,” the statement reads.
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For example, the signatories said, in October 2001, the BNP-Jamaat-led coalition won the election under a caretaker government. Right after their victory, the coalition unleashed an unprecedented attack against the Hindus and Awami League supporters across 11 districts in Bangladesh, they said.
The Hindus and opposition activists were targeted for voting for Bangladesh Awami League, they added.
The violence led to massive looting and burning of houses, rape of Hindu women, and members of the minority community being evicted from their homes.
It continued throughout the BNP-Jamaat rule during 2001-2006, in some cases, with the direct patronage of the coalition leaders, the statement reads.
While in power, the BNP-Jamaat alliance failed to ensure justice, and all the terrorism-related cases were resolved only after the coalition left political office, the signatories said.
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They also shared a timeline of major violences during 2001-2006, under BNP-Jamaat patronage.
“Our concern is what type of democracy would be safer if Tarique Rahman and other convicts somehow manage to contest the election through the back door and win?” — they asked.
“Recently, we have been observing some actions of your administration and statements by some lawmakers sounding like anti-Bangladesh rhetoric, and these actions are hurting the US-Bangladesh relations. We are concerned about these developments and humbly urge you to take steps considering the historical perspective of the Liberation War, which aimed to establish a secular and democratic Bangladesh free of violence,” the statement reads.
“The political field of Bangladesh is populated with two opposing forces — one with the secular, liberal ideals of Bangladesh and the other with religious extremism mixed with political jingoism,” the Bangladeshi-Americans said.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina leads the first one, and the other side is led by the BNP-Jamaat coalition, they said.
The signatories are: elected Bangladeshi-American officials — Councilman Dr. Nuran Nabi, NJ; Mayor Mahabubul Alam Tayub, PA; State Representative Abul Khan, NH; Councilman Abu Ahmed Musa, MI; and Councilman Nurul Hasan, PA; activists — Prof. ABM Nasir, NC, of Shompriti Forum; engineer Rana Hasan Mahmud, CA and engineer Shikrity Barua, NY, of USA Bangabandhu Parishad; Golam Mostafa Khan Miraz, NY, of Bangladesh Liberation War Veterans 1971, USA Inc.; Nazrul Alam and engineer Tasnim Salam Aslam, CA, of California Bangabandhu Parishad; Fahim Reza Noor, NY, of Ghatok Dalal Nirmul Committee, USA; engineer Ahad Ahmed, MI and Ali Ahmed Farish, MI of Michigan Bangabandhu Parishad; Zakaria Choudhury, NY of USA Committee for Democratic and Secular Bangladesh; Rumi Kabir and Mahabubur Rahman Bhuiyan, GA of Georgia Bangabandhu Parishad; Khurshid Anwar Bablu of Bangladesh Freedom Fighters Solidarity Council, USA; Nasrin Munna of Bangladesh Freedom Fighters Solidarity Council, USA; Dr. Abdul Baten of Muktijoddha Sangsad; Sofeda Basu, MA of Massachusetts Bangabandhu Parishad; Morshed Alam, Democratic leader, NY; Zahedul Mahmud Zami, CA of Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad, California Command Council; Abu Taher Bir Pratik and Kazi Shamim, PA of Pennsylvania Bangabandhu Parishad; group of academics — Prof Ziauddin Ahmed, PA; Prof Mizan R Miah, IL; Prof Jamil Talukdar, WI; Prof Shahadat Hossain, NY; Nurannabi Choudhury, NJ of South New Jersey Bangabandhu Parishad; and Tawfik Soleman Tuhin and Zamiul Belal, CA of Bangabandhu Cultural Organization.
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US Under Secretary for Democracy and Human Rights likely to visit Bangladesh in July
US Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, Uzra Zeya, is likely to visit Bangladesh next month to discuss issues of mutual interest.
She leads global diplomatic efforts to strengthen democracy, advance universal human rights, support refugees and humanitarian relief, promote rule of law and counternarcotics cooperation, fight corruption and intolerance, prevent armed conflict, and eliminate human trafficking.
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Nothing has been finalised yet, and there is no official announcement from either side regarding the visit.
For security reasons, the US Embassy in Dhaka does not usually discuss movements of high-level officials, but a formal announcement will come from the US State Department once things are finalised, a diplomatic source told UNB.
Dhaka witnessed a series of visits from Washington in the recent past, including a visit by Under Secretary for Political Affairs, Victoria Nuland, in March 19-23, 2022.
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Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu also visited Bangladesh earlier this year. Lu has been heavily involved in setting Washington's Bangladesh policy in the recent past.
After the new visa policy was officially announced by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on May 25, Lu appeared as the public face of the move, making appearances in Bangladeshi media to explain how it would be implemented.
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