No point in complaining to foreigners, Bangladeshis will cast votes

GBNEWS24DESK//

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen today said complaining to foreigners will bring no benefits and suggested the opposition BNP to reach out to voters at the grassroots level and listen to them.

“These are very unfortunate. They should go to voters at the grassroots level. Foreigners will not cast votes, rather the people of Bangladesh will do that,” he said when a reporter drew his attention to a BNP delegation meeting US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas today.

Momen referred to his recent visit to his constituency and said political leaders’ efforts should be focused on people’s welfare.

“If you discuss with grassroots-level voters, you will understand what can be done for further development,” he said.

Responding to a question, Momen said the US wants “free and fair elections” and they (AL) want the same. “There is no difference in opinion [on the election issue].”

He said the US wants to strengthen its relations with Bangladesh and the US ambassador is an expert on economic issues. “We hope efforts on trade development will be expedited and the ambassador will emphasise on it.”

Regarding his recent meeting with the US Secretary of State, Momen said the Bangladesh side answered the questions that the US had including a question on the Digital Security Act (DSA).

Bangladesh is examining the issue as in some areas application of the DSA might not be done correctly. “We are examining it. If there is any weakness, we will take care of it,” said the foreign minister.

Momen said the US is “pretty happy” with Bangladesh’s response as both sides want to avoid unnecessary harassment.

Bangladesh has conveyed to the US that the DSA is not meant for restricting the freedom of press, noting that the government believes in press freedom.

“We said we enacted the Digital Security Act, but it is not to curb the freedom of press. Awami League believes in freedom of press,” Foreign Minister Momen said to the US side during his meeting with the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington DC.

Momen mentioned the presence of a huge number of newspapers and private television channels which he described as “hyperactive”.

At the meeting, US Secretary of State Blinken expressed concerns about “violence against and intimidation of the media and civil society”, including under the Digital Security Act, according to Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel.

Asked whether the government feels any pressure amid repeated calls for holding free and fair elections in Bangladesh, Momen said, “No pressure. We want free and fair elections. It’s our own commitment.”