US affirms responsibility to collaborate with Bangladesh govt despite election concerns

The United States, expressing concerns over the election or crackdowns on political activists, emphasizes that it still bears the responsibility to collaborate with the Bangladesh government.

State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said this at a regular briefing on Thursday.

A journalist inquired if the United States was interested in working with Bangladesh in various security areas including counterterrorism, border security, cyber security, maritime security, and regional stability, and how it was possible to work in a larger context with the new government of Bangladesh without welcoming the prime minister.

In response, Matthew Miller said the US has relationships of this sort all around the world.

"We expressed our concerns about the Bangladeshi election. We've expressed our concerns about crackdowns in Bangladesh, but that doesn't mean that we don't have the responsibility to work with the government – both on areas where we have concern and also areas where we believe we can cooperate on shared priorities."

Over the past two years, the US has consistently advocated for free and fair elections in Bangladesh. The country also implemented a visa policy, stating that individuals undermining democracy and elections would face visa restrictions.

Following the January 7 elections, the US issued a statement asserting that the polls were not free and fair.

Additionally, it called on the government to ensure a fair legal process for the political opponents detained ahead of the polls.