Washington does not support any particular party
US wants what Bangladeshis want: fair polls
US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller has said the United States does not want to influence the outcome of the upcoming Bangladesh election through its visa policy.
“I’ll just say the United States does not support any particular party and does not want to influence the outcome of the election, only to ensure that the people of Bangladesh may freely choose their leaders,” he said while replying to a question at a regular press briefing on Monday.
He was particularly asked about a statement by Ambassador Peter Haas in Bangladesh on possible visa curbs on media personnel, which opposition leaders have hailed.
The spokesperson said the “United States wants what the Bangladeshis themselves want: free and fair elections that are conducted in a peaceful manner.”
He went on to say: “The government, political parties, civil society and the media in Bangladesh have all expressed their desire that the upcoming national elections are free and fair and conducted in a peaceful manner – as we want.
“The visa restriction policy that we’ve announced supports this objective and the desire of the people of Bangladesh to freely choose their leaders.”
Source: Dhaka Tribune.