Bruce made the comment in response to a question during a regular press briefing at the State Department in Washington, DC, on Tuesday.
At the briefing, a journalist raised questions about recent protests in Bangladesh, the alleged rise of Islamist extremism, the display of Osama bin Laden’s image, use of Nazi symbols and “antisemitic” campaigns targeting US brands like Coca-Cola and KFC.
“... Bangladesh is a country with certain issues. They are also a country that we’ve talked about often, certainly with the questions from the crew here,” Bruce responded.
However, these were a matter for the Bangladeshi authorities to handle, she added.
She also brought up the issue of an arrest warrant for British MP Tulip Siddiq, niece of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
“The – this is from the Bangladeshi courts have issued that arrest. It is, of course – things – all of this and what you’re discussing, even protests, et cetera, are a matter for the Bangladesh authorities to handle, and of course talking with them matters a great deal as well.
“So ultimately, the future of Bangladesh is going to be decided by the Bangladeshi people. They’re facing what you’ve been describing for some – and in others that, of course, we’ve seen the reports as well. And elections matter. I don’t want to sound trite here, but it’s true. Democracy matters, and actions by people matter to confront issues that might, in fact – as we’ve seen over the last 20, 25 years – destroy their lives; it’s pretty clear what the choices are for many nations on this planet.”
