‘We want your observers’

GBNEWS24DESK//

The Bangladesh government is committed to hold a transparent and credible election, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington early today.

Momen also welcomed election observers from the US as he was holding a press briefing after the bilateral meeting with Blinken.

“The US wants to see a free and fair election [in Bangladesh]. I said of course, this is our objective too. We are committed for a free, fair, transparent, credible election….” he said.

Momen highlighted three measures taken by the government — introducing photo identity cards to check fake votes, transparent ballot box and formation of an independent Election Commission.

The minister mentioned that he has asked his US counterpart to send election observers. “We want your observers. We welcome your observers,” he said, according to a video clip sent to the media by the foreign ministry.

He also pointed to the role of the opposition political parties and said, “All opposition parties must come forward; they must commit to hold a free, fair election.”

Momen stated that there was a discussion on freedom of the press in Bangladesh. “We have said that the Digital Security Act is not to curb freedom of the press. Bangladesh Awami League believes in freedom of the press.”

The other issues which were discussed in the meeting include the rights of Ahmadiyya and other minority communities and Rohingya repatriation.

Starting at 12:30am (Bangladesh time), the meeting lasted for about 20 minutes, AZM Sajjad Hossain, minister (press) at the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, told The Daily Star.

Momen reached Washington on Sunday for the meeting and briefed journalists on the objectives of the meeting, reports UNB.

He said Bangladesh wants to improve its ties with the United States to strengthen trade relationship.

“We have been maintaining a very good relationship with the USA,” he told reporters, adding that he was visiting the US to discuss ways to advance the Bangladesh-US ties on key fronts over the next five decades.

Responding to a question, the minister said he would raise the issue of Rashed Chowdhury, a convicted killer of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was moving freely in the United States.